…As President announces ₦500m relief for Calabar Mall fire victims

First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Friday flagged off the South South Zonal Launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme in Calabar, with a promise that no pregnant woman, lactating mother or child under 6 will be denied access to nutritious food.

The launch, held at Ediba Primary Health Centre in Cross River South, simultaneously covered MCH Calabar in Cross River Central and MCH Ogoja in Cross River North. It marks the fifth zonal rollout after Northeast, Northwest, North Central and Southwest. The final phase is held next week in Anambra for the Southeast.

Mrs. Tinubu said the programme is “a deliberate and sustainable response to food insecurity and malnutrition among vulnerable households” and aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“It is designed to provide nutritious food to children under the age of six, pregnant women and lactating mothers, giving them the support required for healthy growth and development,” the First Lady said.

She urged state governments to replicate the model across at least three senatorial districts in partnership with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency.

In a surprise announcement, Mrs. Tinubu delivered a message and cash support from President Tinubu to victims of the recent fire at Calabar Mall.

“Mr. President asked me to give each of the 18 business owners the sum of ₦25 million each, and another ₦50 million to the First Lady of Cross River State for the women,” she said.

She also announced ₦15 million for various women groups that turned out to welcome her.

“May God bless Cross River State, God bless the South-South Zone, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” she added.

In his remark, Cross Eiver State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu described the Food Bank Programme as “one of the most enduring initiatives” under the Renewed Hope mantra.

 

“Cross River State has already established a functional food bank in each of the three senatorial districts,” Otu said. He added that his administration is tackling the root causes of hunger through sustainable agriculture under the blue economy.

The Governor listed: a 50,000-hectare rice farm cluster in Ogoja, a 20,000-hectare cassava cluster in Obubra, distribution of fishing boats to riverine communities under FADAMA NG-CARES, and a ₦2 billion grant to farmers and agribusinesses.

He also disclosed a ₦70 billion PPP investment programme with agriculture as the centerpiece, covering rice value chain, fisheries, dairy, livestock and oil palm.

“Food security is an achievable milestone of my administration. With the launch of the First Lady’s Food Relief, we will complement our efforts in tackling hunger,” Otu pledged.

The Governor declared Cross River “ready for investment” and thanked President Tinubu for “the independence of action” given to states. “Four years more is non-negotiable,” he said to cheers.

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate said the Food Bank matters because Nigeria still carries a heavy burden of stunting and undernutrition.

“We are a blessed country yet we have the burden of stunting and undernutrition among our children and among our women,” Pate said. “The human capital pool that will lift this country depends on the quality of the human beings that we have.”

He urged South South governors and LGAs to replicate the launch and use primary healthcare infrastructure for delivery. He said the Federal Government, through the Nutrition Trust Fund, will increase resources for food and micronutrients.

The programme is being implemented by the Office of the First Lady, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, NPHCDA and Bank of Agriculture. The Board of Trustees was inaugurated in Abuja on April 2, 2026.

In a goodwill message, The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, the Senator Oluremi Tinubu for championing the National Community Food Bank Programme, saying it is critical to improving nutrition for vulnerable women and children.

The Country Director, UNICEF, Dr Wafaa Saeed, represented by UNICEF Nigeria’s Chief of Nutrition, Nemat Hajeebhoy Abuja, congratulated Governor Bassey Otu and Cross River First Lady Bishop . Eyoanwan Otu for hosting the event, noting Cross River was fitting for the launch having recorded a decline in malnutrition in the last five years.

“Food security and nutrition are inseparable. Access to safe, nutritious, affordable and diverse diets is critical for children’s survival, growth and the future human capital of this country,” she said, adding that Nigeria’s development must start with investment in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.

While describing the Food Bank as laudable, UNICEF said stunting and wasting levels remain a concern. She urged that the programme be linked to health, agriculture and social protection, and backed by multi-sectoral coordination and strong data.

“As Kofi Annan said, ‘without data we are flying blind.’ We appreciate the efforts being put into collecting data for this initiative,” she added.

She pledged UNICEF and UN’s continued support to government and partners “to ensure every Nigerian child has access to adequate nutrition and no child is left behind.”

The Food Bank, launched in Abuja on April 2, 2026, targets pregnant women, lactating mothers and children under 6. Friday’s Calabar event covered Cross River South, Central and North and marked the fifth zonal rollout.

Earlier, Mrs. Tinubu commissioned the TETFund Renewed Hope Initiative ICT Experience Center at the University of Cross River State, describing it as a boost for education, digital inclusion and youth empowerment.

Dignitaries at the event included Deputy Governors of Bayelsa and Delta, traditional rulers, and women leaders from across the South South.