The Home-Grown School Feeding programme of the Muhammadu Buhari administration is now in 30 states, the Presidency said yesterday.

It said millions of Nigerians are targeted for the government’s social investment schemes.

The Presidency also said over 12 million Nigerians have benefitted from the programmes while 9.5 million pupils are being fed.

The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Media and Publicity in the Office of the Vice-President, Laolu Akande, stated this in a statement in Abuja, the nation’s capital.


He said one million poorest households will benefit from the current cash transfer.

According to him, the programmes are in continuation of the Buhari administration’s efforts to invest in human capital development through the National Social Investment Programmes (N-SIP).

Akande said the administration is supporting the most vulnerable in society through the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme while developing a skilled workforce for economic productivity by providing jobs for millions of youths through the N-Power programme.

The Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), the SSA said, provides financial support through micro-credit schemes to small traders and businesses at the bottom of the financial pyramid.

Beneficiaries, he maintained, include petty traders, women’s cooperatives, youths, famers and agricultural workers.

According to Akande, in the “Next Level” of the Buhari administration, about 10 million Nigerians are expected to benefit from GEEP, which includes TraderMoni, MarketMoni and FarmerMoni.

“While the Cash Transfer scheme aims to reach one million poorest households, one million new beneficiaries are expected to be added to the N-Power scheme, arguably the largest job creation and youth employment scheme in Africa,” he said.

The presidential aide noted that the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP), which has a target of reaching 12 million pupils, is currently feeding over 9.5 million public primary school (classes 1-3) pupils with one free, balanced and nutritious meal a day in 30 states.

Akande said 101,913 cooks have been empowered in Anambra, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kogi, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Taraba, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Plateau, Delta, Zamfara, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Niger, Katsina, Ondo, Edo and Gombe states.

He added that the HGSFP has helped to increase enrolment rates and effectively tackle early year malnutrition while improving the children’s cognitive skills.

The statement said: “The school feeding programme has also provided sustainable income for local farmers, cooks, thereby increasing growth and productivity in the local economy.

“As of March, 297,973 Nigerians in 20 states (including the Borno IDP camps) are current beneficiaries under the National Cash Transfer Policy Programme (Conditional Cash Transfer), which started in December 2017 with over 5,000 savings groups and cooperatives formed as a result.

“The following states are currently receiving payment: Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Ekiti, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Kwara, Nassarawa, Niger, Osun, Oyo, Plateau and Taraba.”

Akande said the CCT was designed to deliver timely and accessible cash to beneficiary households and so enhance their capacity for sustainable livelihood.

The programme, he added, provides beneficiaries – poor and vulnerable households – with a monthly transfer of N5,000 with the sole aim of taking them out of poverty.

health, agriculture and tax and monitoring; and a further 200,000 non-graduates in training or attached to organisations as interns.

“N-Power beneficiaries across the 36 states and the FCT are provided with a N30,000 monthly stipend, in addition to technology devices with relevant content for continuous learning.

“Many N-power beneficiaries have gone on to become entrepreneurs who are building successes in their chosen vocations.”