Zamfara Launches Pilot School Feeding Programme to Combat Hunger, Boost Enrollment

In a significant move to tackle the alarming rate of out-of-school children and address food insecurity, the Zamfara State Government has officially unveiled its Pilot School Feeding Programme. Governor Dauda Lawal flagged off the initiative on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at Dan-Turai Primary School in Gusau, the state capital.

The programme, a collaborative effort with various development partners and non-governmental organizations, is designed to enhance primary school enrollment and retention by directly addressing hunger and malnutrition, two critical barriers to education in the region. Governor Lawal, represented by his spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, reiterated his administration’s commitment to reversing the trend of low school attendance and combating what he described as a “deep-rooted educational crisis” in Zamfara.

“This pilot feeding programme represents more than just an intervention,” Governor Lawal stated during the launch. “It is a clear demonstration of our resolve to make access to quality education not just a right, but a lived reality for every child in Zamfara.” He emphasized that the initiative aims to restore dignity, improve access to education, and ultimately fight poverty within the state.

The pilot phase of the program targets over 4,000 pupils across five local government areas: Gusau, Talata Mafara, Anka, Maru, and Shinkafi. Key partners supporting this vital initiative include the World Bank, UNICEF, International Center for Economic Development, and FINPACT Development Foundation. Specifically, FINPACT Development Foundation will sponsor the feeding of 1000 pupils across Gusau, Maru, Anka, and Talatar Mafara, while the International Centre for Economic Development will sponsor 3300 pupils in Gusau, Talatar Mafara, and Shinkafi.

Zamfara State continues to grapple with one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children in Nigeria, a challenge exacerbated by pervasive insecurity, poverty, and inadequate educational infrastructure. Governor Lawal highlighted ongoing collaborations with agencies like UNICEF and the World Bank through the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project, which are working to improve educational access through targeted investments and community-based interventions. He also noted that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, in partnership with UNICEF, recently established a technical committee to identify and reintegrate out-of-school children across all 14 local government areas.

The Governor called on other donor agencies and education stakeholders to scale up support and develop more programs that enhance access to learning, particularly in vulnerable and underserved communities. This new school feeding program aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” and represents a crucial step towards ensuring that no child in Zamfara is left behind in the pursuit of education.