The Federal Government has earmarked N100 billion for the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) in the proposed 2025 budget.
The programme, designed to improve school attendance and children’s welfare, falls under the Service Wide Vote (SWV) and is managed by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
The NHGSFP, suspended on January 12 following allegations of financial impropriety involving the suspended CEO of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Halima Shehu, is set for a relaunch.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed the government’s plan to reinstate the initiative in August, emphasizing its significance in promoting education.
“Feeding children at school would not only improve their health and wellbeing but also incentivise them to remain in school, thereby reducing the number of out-of-school children,” Edun stated.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring adequate funding for educational initiatives aimed at providing access to quality education.
The 2025 budget also revealed a significant increase in the overall allocation for the Service Wide Vote, rising from N4.4 trillion in 2024 to N6.7 trillion.
Apart from the school feeding programme, the SWV budget includes N15 billion for settling electricity bills of ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) recently reported that MDAs, including the military, owe N42 billion in unpaid electricity bills.
Similarly, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) earlier in the year threatened to disconnect power to the Presidential Villa and 86 MDAs over a debt of N47.1 billion as of December 2023.
The SWV also makes provisions for entitlements of former presidents and vice presidents: N2.3 billion,severance benefits for retired heads of agencies: N1 billion,international sporting competitions N5 billion and contributions to international organisations N41.2 billion.
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