…….Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda Tackles Classroom Hunger Through Adopt-A-School Initiative.
Emmanuel Ikpeama.
LAGOS, NIGERIA – June 2026
In a significant step towards improving child nutrition and strengthening basic education, the Federal Government, in partnership with the Lagos State Government, has launched the Adopt-A-School: Snacks for Thought (PBAT FEEDS) initiative, a transformative school feeding programme that will provide daily breakfast to 30,000 pupils in public primary schools across Lagos State.
Implemented under the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (RH-NHGSFP), the initiative is designed to combat classroom hunger, enhance pupils’ concentration, improve school attendance, and create a more conducive learning environment for children.
The programme represents another milestone in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, reflecting the administration’s commitment to investing in human capital development through practical interventions that directly improve the lives of Nigerian children and their families.
A major force behind the initiative is Princess Aderemi F. Adebowale, National Programme Manager of the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, whose years of advocacy and innovation in child nutrition laid the foundation for the breakfast model now being implemented across the state.
Before its statewide rollout, Princess Adebowale successfully piloted the “Snacks for Thought” initiative in several Lagos communities, including Kosofe Local Government, Somolu Local Government, Bariga LCDA, Lagos Island East LCDA, and selected public primary schools in Lagos Island Local Government Area.
One of the programme’s most impactful pilot interventions covered 33 public primary schools within Lagos Island, where nearly 12,000 pupils received nutritious breakfast daily.
The initiative recorded remarkable improvements in school attendance, classroom participation, pupils’ concentration, and overall academic readiness, providing compelling evidence for its expansion.
The success of the pilot programme paved the way for the current collaboration between the Federal Government and Lagos State Government, demonstrating how strategic nutritional support can significantly improve educational outcomes while advancing child welfare.
Beyond addressing classroom hunger, the programme is expected to boost local economic activities through its home-grown procurement model.
By sourcing food items from local farmers, food processors, transporters, caterers, women entrepreneurs, and small-scale businesses, PBAT FEEDS will stimulate agricultural production, create jobs, and strengthen community livelihoods.
A defining feature of the initiative is its Adopt-A-School framework, which encourages corporate organisations, philanthropists, development partners, alumni associations, faith-based organisations, and community groups to sponsor school feeding in public primary schools through a transparent and accountable partnership model.
The Lagos State Government, working closely with the Federal Government and the state’s 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas, believes the programme will play a vital role in reducing learning poverty, improving educational performance, and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to learn without the burden of hunger.
Education experts have consistently maintained that adequate nutrition is fundamental to effective learning and cognitive development.
Through PBAT FEEDS, thousands of pupils will begin each school day with nutritious meals that support better health, improved academic performance, and increased classroom engagement.
From its successful pilot phase in Kosofe, Somolu, Bariga, Lagos Island East, and Lagos Island to its large-scale implementation across Lagos State, the initiative stands as a testament to what can be achieved through visionary leadership, strategic collaboration, and sustained investment in the future of Nigeria’s children.
For the 30,000 pupils who will benefit from the daily breakfast programme, PBAT FEEDS is far more than a feeding initiative. It is an investment in their education, well-being, and future productivity.
As the programme expands across Lagos State, it reinforces the commitment of both the Federal and Lagos State Governments to ensuring that no child is denied the opportunity to learn and thrive because of hunger, while advancing the broader objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda for a brighter and more prosperous Nigeria.
