First Lady Expands Renewed Hope Food Outreach Nationwide

First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Expands Renewed Hope Initiative Food Outreach to More Vulnerable Communities Nationwide

In a significant advancement for the Federal Government’s food security and social welfare goals, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu has unveiled plans to expand the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Food Outreach Scheme to reach additional vulnerable communities across Nigeria.

Speaking through the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, at an RHI outreach event held on Friday at the International Conference Centre in Umuahia, Senator Tinubu reaffirmed the programme’s commitment to delivering vital food assistance to marginalized groups, including women, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable populations since its inception in March 2024.

According to a statement from Kwapchi Bata Hamman, Special Assistant to the President on Media and ICT in the Office of the Vice President, the First Lady personally supervised the handover of food supplies to Mrs. Priscilla Otti, the Abia State RHI Coordinator and wife of Governor Alex Otti.

“As I hand over these essential food commodities to Abia State and the RHI State Coordinator, I urge the beneficiaries to use these items to improve the well-being of their families. Through RHI, we are implementing impactful interventions that are touching lives nationwide, and we are delighted to see positive results,” Senator Tinubu said.

Since its launch, the Food Outreach Scheme has successfully reached 11 states and the Federal Capital Territory, including Benue, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Oyo, with plans to extend the programme to Enugu and Kaduna in the near future. Supported financially by The Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) and an anonymous donor, the outreach focuses on delivering food supplies to one state every month.

During the event, the First Lady also announced several new initiatives under the five pillars of RHI—Social Investment, Economic Empowerment, Education, Health, and Agriculture—that will be launched in 2025.

Under the Social Investment pillar, RHI is partnering with the Federal Ministry of Environment to establish ‘The Environment Club’ for senior secondary school students and ‘The Environment Society’ for tertiary students nationwide. These groups aim to foster environmental awareness, cleanliness, and tree planting across the country.

In the Economic Empowerment sector, RHI plans to distribute grants of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (₦200,000) each to 250 persons with disabilities across all 36 states and the FCT to support small business growth and recapitalization.

For Education, the ‘Flow with Confidence’ programme will provide 10,000 packs of sanitary pads—sufficient for one year—to young girls, particularly those in rural areas. This initiative is designed to help girls remain in school throughout their menstrual cycles and reduce absenteeism.

Senator Tinubu emphasized that these programmes are aligned with and complement the broader Renewed Hope Agenda championed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, with the goal of improving the quality of life for Nigerians across all regions.

The First Lady also commended Mrs. Priscilla Otti for her exemplary leadership and dedication to the success of RHI’s Food Outreach and related projects in Abia State.

Speaking on behalf of the Abia State Government, Governor Alex Otti expressed the administration’s readiness to collaborate with organizations like RHI that are committed to uplifting vulnerable populations. He praised Senator Tinubu’s dedication and highlighted the positive impacts of the initiative within the state.

Receiving the food items, Mrs. Priscilla Otti underscored the transformative effect of the Food Outreach Scheme on families in Abia, assuring continued support and pledging that the supplies would be fairly distributed to beneficiaries from diverse backgrounds.

Dr. Ubon Udoh, Managing Director of ASR Africa and representative of BUA Group, also commended the sustainable impact of RHI’s interventions and reiterated the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative’s commitment to ongoing support.