The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), led by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has extended its food relief programme to persons with disabilities, widows and other vulnerable residents in Ogun State.
The intervention, which makes Ogun the 32nd state to benefit from the programme, involved the provision of two truckloads of assorted food items for distribution to beneficiaries across the state.
The food items were formally handed over in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, by the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, who represented the First Lady at the event on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
The programme, introduced in 2024, provides food assistance to vulnerable groups, with two truckloads of food items supplied monthly for distribution through the wives of state governors, who serve as RHI coordinators in their respective states.
The initiative is supported by an anonymous donor and the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa).
Speaking through her representative, Oluremi Tinubu said the intervention was aimed at providing nutritional support to vulnerable Nigerians and helping to ease their immediate needs.
She reaffirmed the initiative’s commitment to improving the welfare of vulnerable groups in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The First Lady also announced Akwa Ibom State as the next beneficiary of the food distribution programme and identified ASR Africa as the supplier of the food items delivered to Ogun.
She commended Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun for his hospitality and praised the state’s First Lady, Bamidele Abiodun, for her commitment to implementing the initiative’s programmes and facilitating support for vulnerable residents.
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun welcomed the intervention, describing support for vulnerable citizens as an important part of improving living conditions across the country.
He said the welfare of elderly people, persons with disabilities, children and widows should remain central to public policy, adding that genuine progress should be measured by improvements in their lives.
According to the governor, vulnerability should not be a reason to exclude anyone from opportunities or diminish their worth.
He also stressed that addressing food insecurity required more than increasing food production, noting the need for modern farming methods, processing, better marketing systems and rural enterprises that could make agriculture more productive and profitable.
Abiodun further acknowledged the role of targeted interventions in supporting farmers, breastfeeding mothers and other vulnerable groups, saying such programmes could help improve livelihoods and strengthen local economic activities.
The Ogun State First Lady, Bamidele Abiodun, described the food relief programme as a practical demonstration of concern for families facing hardship.
She thanked Oluremi Tinubu for sustaining the initiative across states, particularly its focus on reaching people who need direct assistance.
According to her, the interventions could help improve household welfare, strengthen family incomes and create opportunities for greater economic stability.
The Managing Director of ASR Africa, Dr Ubon Udoh, also reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting vulnerable communities and restoring dignity to families across Nigeria.
Udoh said the organisation operates an annual intervention budget of $100 million, with 50 per cent allocated to Nigeria. He described its partnership with the Renewed Hope Initiative as a strategic collaboration aimed at improving lives and delivering lasting benefits to vulnerable Nigerians.
He also commended those responsible for implementing the programme across the states and pledged the organisation’s continued support.
The food items were handed over to Bamidele Abiodun for onward distribution to the intended beneficiaries.
With Akwa Ibom announced as the next state to receive assistance, the Renewed Hope Initiative is expected to continue its food relief programme as part of its efforts to support vulnerable households across the country.
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