President Tinubu Approves N50,000 Grant and N155bn Food Package for Households

President Bola Tinubu has greenlit the National Construction and Household Support Programme. The announcement was made during the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting held on Thursday in Abuja.

According to a statement from presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale, the programme is designed to enhance agricultural productivity, stimulate economic growth, and offer financial support to households across the nation.

A significant aspect of the programme is the distribution of a N50,000 uplift grant to 100,000 families in each state over three months. In addition, N155 billion has been allocated for the purchase and nationwide distribution of assorted foodstuffs, addressing pressing concerns about food security and affordability.

Infrastructure development is also a cornerstone of this initiative. Key projects include the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, which will pass through seven states integral to Nigeria’s agricultural sector. The programme also encompasses the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Trans-Saharan Highway. Tinubu has approved full counterpart financing for the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Railway and the Ibadan-Abuja segment of the Lagos-Kano Standard-Gauge Railway.

Furthermore, the NEC has approved N10 billion for each state and the Federal Capital Territory to procure buses and implement the Compressed Natural Gas Uplift Programme, aiming to modernize transportation and reduce carbon emissions.

Provisions have also been made to engage labour unions and civil society organizations, ensuring broad-based support and collaboration.

President Tinubu called on state governors to work in unison to meet citizens’ needs and boost food production, emphasizing the urgency of these reforms. He stated, “Our states must work together to deliver on the critical reforms required of us to meet the needs of our people. Time is humanity’s most precious asset. You can never have enough of it. It is getting late.”

He reiterated the federal government’s commitment to supporting agricultural mechanization, providing high-quality seedlings, and introducing solar-powered irrigation facilities to aid farmers throughout the year.

“We must now produce the food our people eat, and it will require coordination and intentionality between members of the National Economic Council (NEC),” Tinubu concluded.