Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Nigeria’s First Lady, has reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to tackle food insecurity and empower the nation’s most vulnerable populations through the expansion of the Renewed Hope Initiative’s (RHI) Food Outreach Scheme.
The programme, which commenced on 8 March 2024, is designed to provide vital food aid to women, persons with disabilities, and marginalized communities across the country.
Speaking at the International Conference Centre in Umuahia, Abia State, where she oversaw the distribution of food supplies to Mrs. Priscilla Otti, the RHI Coordinator for Abia and the Governor’s Wife, Mrs. Tinubu was represented by Hajiya Nana Shettima, the Vice Chairman of RHI.
“As I hand over these crucial food items to Abia State and the RHI State Coordinator, I encourage beneficiaries to utilise these provisions for their families’ welfare. The initiatives we are implementing at RHI are making a real difference across Nigeria, and we are gratified by the positive outcomes,” she stated.
Since its launch, the Food Outreach Scheme has successfully reached the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and eleven states, including Benue, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Oyo, with plans to expand into Enugu and Kaduna next.
The initiative, funded by The Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) along with an anonymous donor, aims to provide food distribution to one state per month.
During the event, Mrs. Tinubu also unveiled several new initiatives for the year 2025, aligned with RHI’s five core pillars: Social Investment, Economic Empowerment, Education, Health, and Agriculture.
“In terms of Social Investment, RHI is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Environment to establish ‘The Environment Club’ for senior secondary school students and ‘The Environment Society’ for those in tertiary institutions nationwide, fostering environmental cleanliness and tree planting initiatives.
“Under Economic Empowerment, RHI plans to offer grants of N200,000 to 250 individuals with disabilities in all 36 states and the FCT to assist and revitalise their small businesses.
“In Education, the ‘Flow with Confidence’ programme will provide 10,000 packs of sanitary pads—enough for a year—to young girls, particularly in rural communities, to ensure they can remain in school during their menstrual cycles.”
The First Lady stated that these programmes are designed to support the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu’s administration and enhance the lives of Nigerians nationwide.
Mrs. Tinubu also praised the efforts of the Abia State Governor’s wife for her invaluable support in ensuring the success of the RHI Food Outreach and related initiatives.
Governor Alex Otti, on behalf of the Abia State Government, expressed readiness to partner with organisations like RHI that strive to uplift vulnerable populations, commending Senator Tinubu’s dedication and the tangible impacts of the RHI outreach.
Receiving the items, Mrs. Otti remarked on the significant influence of the Food Outreach on families in the state, stating, “This intervention has transformed many lives,” and assured the First Lady of continued support while affirming that the items would be distributed to individuals from diverse backgrounds to fulfil the programme’s goals.
Furthermore, Dr. Ubon Udoh, Managing Director of ASR Africa and representative of BUA, commended the sustainable impact of RHI’s work and pledged ongoing support from the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative.
