By Ayomide Otitoju
The Federal Government, in collaboration with the Lagos State Government and the 57 Local Government and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), on Tuesday launched the Adopt-a-School: Snacks for Thought – PBAT FEEDS initiative to provide nutritious breakfast meals for primary school pupils across Lagos State.
The programme, introduced under the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, was officially flagged off at the Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Secretariat on Lagos Island.
The initiative is designed to improve school attendance, classroom participation, concentration and academic performance among pupils by ensuring they begin the school day with nutritious meals.
The launch was simultaneously held across the state’s three senatorial districts, covering 20 Local Government Areas and 37 LCDAs. Structured as a public-private partnership, the initiative seeks support from corporate organisations, development partners, philanthropists, faith-based organisations and other stakeholders to enhance the welfare and educational outcomes of schoolchildren.
As part of the programme, pupils received breakfast packs alongside school bags, tablets, snack boxes, water bottles, flasks, notebooks and other educational materials.
Stakeholders at the event expressed optimism that the initiative would improve child nutrition, strengthen learning outcomes and contribute to reducing the number of out-of-school children nationwide.
Speaking at the launch, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, described the initiative as an investment in the nation’s future, stressing that well-nourished children are fundamental to building a stronger and more prosperous society.
He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to working with the Federal Government and other partners to improve children’s welfare, noting that sustainable nation-building requires collective responsibility from both the public and private sectors.
According to the governor, addressing hunger is a key step towards reducing poverty and achieving sustainable development.
“Lagos State will continue to partner with the Federal Government, private organisations, NGOs and every well-meaning individual willing to support our children. Nation-building is not the responsibility of government alone. We are doing our best, but we welcome every genuine partnership that will improve the lives of our children,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu added that the initiative extends beyond providing food, as beneficiaries also receive learning materials, including school bags, tablets, snack boxes, water bottles, flasks and notebooks, in line with his administration’s THEMES Plus Agenda.
The National Programme Manager of the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, Princess Aderemi Adebowale, said Lagos was chosen for the official launch because of its leadership role, despite successful pre-launch activities held earlier in Kano and Abuja.
She explained that the initiative would provide nutritious breakfast snacks and beverages to pupils before the start of classes each day to combat classroom hunger, improve concentration and enhance academic performance.
“Lagos leads and others follow. We conducted successful pre-launches in Kano and Abuja, but we chose Lagos for the official launch because of its leadership role,” she said.
Emphasising the programme’s child-centred approach, Adebowale added, “Children do not know political parties; they only know food. Our objective is to ensure that no child starts learning on an empty stomach.”
She disclosed that the programme would be managed through a digital dashboard, enabling individuals, Nigerians in the diaspora, corporate organisations, faith-based groups and philanthropists to adopt schools and sponsor breakfast meals as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
According to her, the initiative is designed to complement, rather than replace, the Federal Government’s existing National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.
“The Federal Government will continue with the regular school feeding programme, while this initiative mobilises the private sector and communities to provide breakfast before classes begin.
“We will never give children food that we cannot eat. The goal is to ensure children come to school early, stay in school, perform better academically and ultimately become future leaders,” she said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Lagos Island East LCDA, Hon. Muibi Folawiyo, welcomed the selection of the council as the host for the official launch, describing the initiative as one that would promote punctuality, improve school attendance and create a more conducive learning environment.
He called on banks, insurance companies, religious organisations and other corporate bodies to support schools within their communities by adopting them under the initiative.
“Government cannot do it alone. This is an opportunity for the private sector and other stakeholders to invest in the future of our children. The investment we make today will determine the Nigeria we build tomorrow,” Folawiyo said.
Beneficiary pupils expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, Lagos State Government and the local councils for the initiative, describing the programme as a welcome intervention that would support their education and well-being.
