The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has officially launched its 2025 Annual National Food Intervention Project, valued at N16 billion, aimed at assisting one million Nigerians struggling with hunger.
The initiative was flagged off on Thursday in Kano State, with Aliko Dangote represented by his daughter, Marya, who spoke on the foundation’s commitment to tackling the current economic challenges facing the nation.
The project involves the distribution of one million 10kg bags of rice to vulnerable individuals across Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas. The goal is to aid the government’s efforts in alleviating hunger, particularly among the poorest and most vulnerable communities.
“We are collaborating with state governments to ensure that the food reaches the most vulnerable individuals in each state,” Marya Dangote stated during the ceremony. She also emphasized the need for stakeholders to continue working together to improve Nigerians’ living conditions, particularly through addressing hunger, water supply issues, and promoting education and economic empowerment.
In a call for broader involvement, Dangote urged other industrialists and firms to contribute to combating hunger. “Let us support the government to achieve its target of a better life for Nigerians,” he said.
Kano Government Responds
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf, represented by Deputy Governor Aminu Abdulsalam-Gwarzo, lauded the Dangote Foundation’s efforts as a reflection of stakeholders’ dedication to fighting poverty and hunger.
Abdulsalam-Gwarzo noted that the intervention, particularly timely during Ramadan, would help alleviate hardship. He also mentioned that the state government had set up a committee to ensure transparency in the distribution process.
Ongoing Commitment to Addressing Hunger
Zouera Youssoufou, Managing Director of the Dangote Foundation, reiterated the foundation’s long-standing commitment to giving back to society and supporting efforts to fight poverty and hunger.
This latest initiative follows the United Nations World Food Programme’s (WFP) $2.5 billion allocation to its 2023-2027 Nigeria Country Strategy Plan, which aims to eradicate hunger and improve nutrition in the country, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to eliminate poverty and hunger.
