The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has approved the 2025 Annual National Food Intervention Project, which is valued at N16 billion and is set to benefit one million Nigerians nationwide. The project to tackle hunger was officially launched at a ceremony in Kano State, with the foundation’s Chairman, Mr Aliko Dangote, represented by his daughter, Marya. During the event, Dangote highlighted that the initiative was a response to the current economic difficulties faced by Nigeria.
Marya Dangote explained that the project would involve the distribution of one million 10kg bags of rice to vulnerable Nigerians across all 774 local government areas in the country. This distribution aims to assist in alleviating hunger, complementing the government’s ongoing efforts to tackle food insecurity. She also noted that the Dangote Foundation was working closely with state governments to ensure the food reached those most in need.
Marya emphasised the importance of improving the living conditions of Nigerians through various support projects, particularly those addressing hunger, water supply issues, and the overall quality of health and education. She called on other industrialists and organisations to contribute to initiatives that could help put food on the tables of the country’s most vulnerable, stressing that public-private partnerships are vital in combating poverty and hunger.
In her remarks, she commended the government’s efforts to address the food crisis and expressed confidence that these challenges would be overcome in time, with continued collective support. Dangote also urged other stakeholders to join the fight against hunger and work alongside the government in ensuring a better life for Nigerians.
The Kano State Government, represented by Deputy Governor Aminu Abdulsalam-Gwarzo, also reacted positively to the intervention, describing it as a clear sign of stakeholders’ commitment to fighting poverty and hunger in Nigeria. Abdulsalam-Gwarzo pointed out that the intervention was especially timely, coming during the month of Ramadan, and would help alleviate hardship for many. He added that the state government had set up a committee to ensure the transparent distribution of the food, with assistance from security agencies.
Zouera Youssoufou, the Managing Director of the Dangote Foundation, reaffirmed the foundation’s dedication to supporting societal welfare through initiatives aimed at reducing poverty and hunger.
This intervention complements other significant efforts, including the $2.5 billion allocated by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in February 2025 for its Nigeria Country Strategy Plan. This five-year initiative aims to eliminate hunger and improve nutrition, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to eradicate poverty and hunger.
