The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), led by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has extended its food relief programme to Ogun State, making it the 32nd state to benefit from the scheme supporting vulnerable Nigerians.
The programme provides assorted food items to persons with disabilities, widows and other vulnerable people to help meet their immediate needs.
The food items were presented in Abeokuta by the wife of the Vice-President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, who represented the First Lady at the event. According to a statement by Kwapchi Bata Hamman, Special Assistant to the President on Media and ICT in the Office of the Vice-President, the intervention forms part of RHI’s social investment programmes aimed at improving nutrition among vulnerable groups.
Under the scheme, two truckloads of assorted food items are provided each month for distribution through the wives of state governors, who serve as state coordinators. Since its launch in 2024, the programme has received support from an anonymous donor and the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa).
Speaking on behalf of Senator Tinubu, Shettima said the initiative reflected the RHI’s commitment to improving the welfare of vulnerable Nigerians in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. She also announced Akwa Ibom as the next beneficiary state and identified ASR Africa as the supplier of the food items delivered to Ogun State.
The First Lady commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for his hospitality and praised Ogun State First Lady Mrs Bamidele Abiodun for supporting the programme and helping vulnerable residents.
“On this note, to the glory of God and for the benefit of humanity, I hereby hand over these food items to the First Lady of Ogun State for onward distribution to the beneficiaries,” Senator Tinubu said.
Governor Abiodun praised the RHI food relief programme, assuring residents that his administration would continue working with the Federal Government to improve their welfare.
He said genuine progress should be measured by the well-being of older people, the inclusion of persons with disabilities, access to education for children and the ability of widows to support their families.
Abiodun also stressed that tackling food insecurity required more than increasing production. He called for modern farming methods, better processing and marketing, and stronger rural businesses to make agriculture more productive and rewarding.
He acknowledged the role of the Federal Government’s economic policies in supporting grassroots activities and said targeted interventions remained important for improving livelihoods. He also commended the RHI’s support for farmers, breastfeeding mothers and other vulnerable groups.
“Vulnerability does not diminish an individual’s capacity or worth and should never be a basis for exclusion,” he said.
Mrs Abiodun described the initiative as a practical demonstration of care, adding that Senator Tinubu’s commitment to families inspired the wives of governors nationwide. She said the programmes helped improve livelihoods, support household incomes and strengthen economic stability.
Meanwhile, ASR Africa Managing Director Dr Ubon Udoh reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to restoring dignity to families. He said it had an annual intervention budget of $100 million, with half allocated to Nigeria.
Udoh described the partnership with the RHI as a strategic effort to improve lives and deliver lasting benefits to vulnerable communities. ASR Africa also praised programme coordinators across the states and pledged continued support.
The food items were formally handed over by Shettima to the Ogun State First Lady for distribution to the intended beneficiaries.
