Agege Local Council, in partnership with Inspire Lagos Food Market, has launched a food subsidy programme that slashes the prices of staple commodities by 50 per cent.
The initiative provides direct relief to over 3,000 vulnerable residents struggling with the current food crisis.
Introduced just three weeks after the new administration assumed office in Agege, the programme aims to ease the hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidies, which has pushed millions of low-income earners to the brink of hunger.
The Acting Chairman of Agege Local Council, Abdul-Ganiyu Vinod Obasa, said the partnership with Inspire Lagos was designed to support those in need, particularly the elderly, people with disabilities, and the poorest households in the area.
Discounted items include 16 staple foods such as rice, beans, yam, semovita, pasta, noodles, garri, palm oil, vegetable oil, and frozen chicken. For instance, noodles that usually sell for N10,000 per carton in the open market were sold for N5,000, while chicken prices dropped from N6,000 per kilo to N3,000.
The initiative will run quarterly, with the next edition scheduled for December. The council is also prioritising sanitation, drainage clearance, and waste management to improve living conditions across the seven wards of Agege.
Convener of the Inspire Lagos Food Market, Abiola Adebanjo, said the programme aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 on zero hunger.
Launched in August 2024, the initiative has already reached Surulere, Shomolu, Ifako-Ijaye, Ojodu, and Orile-Agege, with plans to expand across the 20 local councils and 37 LCDAs of Lagos.
Head of Agriculture and Social Services, Aderonke Tomilayo Ogundiran, highlighted ongoing efforts to support vulnerable families within the council.
She explained that an empowerment scheme providing N100,000 to vulnerable households had been introduced to lift them out of food insecurity and improve their livelihoods.
Ogundiran expressed enthusiasm about the programme, describing it as the first of its kind in the area and confirming that similar market events would be held quarterly. She reiterated her department’s commitment to supporting vulnerable populations through initiatives that not only provide immediate relief but also foster long-term food security and community resilience.
Residents who thronged the venue expressed joy, saying the gesture not only put food on their tables but also restored hope that government and private partnerships could directly improve their lives.
