In a bid to address the prevalent economic challenges faced by many Nigerians, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the President of Dangote Group, has initiated a significant food intervention programme through the Aluko Dangote Foundation (ADF) in Kano.
Valued at N15 billion, the programme commenced with the distribution of over one million bags of 10kg rice across all 774 local government areas of Nigeria’s 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Speaking at the official launch of the intervention programme, Dangote emphasized the importance of compassion and solidarity, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan.
He stressed the necessity for all stakeholders to collaborate with the government in addressing hunger and economic hardships in the country.
The distribution of rice, according to Dangote, signifies the foundation’s commitment to humanitarian values and its dedication to supporting vulnerable communities nationwide.
The food intervention programme, slated from March to early April, will involve cooperation with state and local governments as well as community partners to ensure effective delivery to those most in need, irrespective of demographic attributes.
Zouera Youssoufo, the MD/CEO of ADF, announced that the foundation would also distribute 10,000 iftar meals during Ramadan in Kano. Additionally, she highlighted the foundation’s ongoing daily bread relief programme, which has been providing over 32,000 family-size loaves of bread daily in Kano and Lagos states since 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the launch event, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf expressed gratitude to Alhaji Aliko Dangote for his generous contribution towards alleviating economic hardships in the state. He urged other wealthy individuals and businesses to emulate Dangote’s example and support government efforts to provide palliatives to the needy.
Youssoufou further explained that Dangote Group’s commitment to improving nutrition in Nigeria extends beyond food relief programmes, with active investments in food fortification across the Nigerian food industry.
She emphasised that the food intervention programme is the latest in a series of impactful philanthropic initiatives by the foundation, which has been providing 10,000 cooked meals daily to vulnerable populations in Kano State since the 1990s, reaching various institutions and individuals in need.
