The National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) is helping to improve school enrolment, attendance and learning outcomes among pupils in public primary schools across Nigeria.
The National Programme Manager of the NHGSFP, Dr Aderemi Adebowale, disclosed this during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
The partnership is focused on strengthening research, child nutrition, food systems and technical support for the school feeding programme.
School Feeding Programme Supports More Than Education
According to Adebowale, the NHGSFP is one of the Federal Government’s major social protection programmes, with its impact extending beyond providing meals to schoolchildren.
She explained that the programme contributes to improved nutrition while also supporting local farmers, food vendors and communities through economic opportunities.
Adebowale described the initiative as a programme that brings together education, nutrition, agriculture, economic empowerment and social inclusion.
She noted that providing nutritious meals to pupils can help encourage children to attend school regularly while supporting their ability to participate effectively in learning.
Research Needed to Improve School Feeding
Adebowale stressed the importance of continuous research, monitoring and evaluation to ensure that the school feeding programme remains effective and sustainable.
She said credible evidence would enable programme managers to measure its impact, identify areas that require improvement and adapt the initiative to changing needs.
According to her, the MoU with IFPRI comes at an important time because the collaboration will provide additional technical expertise to strengthen the programme.
She explained that IFPRI’s experience in research, impact evaluation, policy analysis, data-driven decision-making and capacity building would help improve the design and implementation of the NHGSFP.
The partnership is also expected to strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems and provide evidence that can guide future investments in school feeding.
Partnership to Strengthen Child Nutrition and Education
Adebowale said the collaboration would help determine whether school feeding investments are producing measurable and sustainable benefits for Nigerian children and their communities.
She added that the partnership supports global development objectives, particularly the Sustainable Development Goals relating to zero hunger, quality education, good health and well-being, poverty reduction and partnerships for development.
She commended the leadership of NSIPA for supporting strategic partnerships and thanked IFPRI and other development partners for their technical assistance and continued commitment to improving school feeding in Nigeria.
Adebowale expressed confidence that the collaboration would generate new solutions, strengthen institutional capacity and improve the effectiveness of the programme.
She said the ultimate goal was to contribute to better educational and nutritional outcomes for millions of Nigerian children.
NSIPA and IFPRI Highlight Importance of the Programme
The National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of NSIPA, Dr Badamasi Lawal, said the partnership would strengthen the agency’s ability to design, implement, monitor and evaluate social investment programmes.
According to Lawal, NSIPA was established as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to build a more inclusive society where vulnerable and disadvantaged Nigerians can access opportunities that improve their livelihoods.
Meanwhile, IFPRI’s Nigeria Country Director, Dr Oliver Kirui, said the organisation would provide research, monitoring and evaluation support to strengthen the NHGSFP.
Kirui explained that the partnership would help assess whether the programme is reaching the children who need assistance the most and whether it is achieving its intended nutrition outcomes.
The collaboration will also examine the wider impact of the programme on local farmers and food systems.
Why School Feeding Matters
The development highlights the wider role school feeding programmes can play in Nigeria’s education sector. Beyond addressing hunger, access to nutritious meals can support regular school attendance and create a better environment for children to participate in classroom activities.
With continued research, proper monitoring and effective implementation, stakeholders hope the NHGSFP can deliver stronger and more sustainable benefits to pupils, families, farmers and communities across the country.
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