The Federal Government has launched “Snacks for Thought” (PBAT FEEDS), a new breakfast programme under the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (RH-NHGSFP), designed to improve learning outcomes by tackling hunger among school children.
The initiative provides nutritious morning meals to pupils before classes begin, addressing one of the major barriers to effective learning hunger.
Speaking at the official launch held at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Abuja, the National Programme Manager of RH-NHGSFP, Dr. Princess Aderemi F. Adebowale, described the programme as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s human capital development.
“The more developed your knowledge base is, the smarter you are but you cannot be smarter than your knowledge base,” she said.
Dr. Adebowale explained that “Snacks for Thought” goes beyond mere feeding. It is a comprehensive national development strategy that links nutrition, education, and long-term productivity.
She highlighted several expected benefits of the programme, including improved student concentration and cognitive performance, higher school attendance and retention rates, stronger local agricultural value chains through structured procurement, and economic empowerment for women, youth, and smallholder farmers.
“Today, Nigeria made a decision. A decision that no child should sit in a classroom hungry. A decision that learning must begin with nourishment. A decision that the future of this nation will no longer be built on empty stomachs,” she stated.
“With the launch of ‘Snacks for Thought’, Nigeria is investing not just in food but in focus, knowledge, and the future. Because a hungry child cannot learn. And a nation that ignores this cannot develop. This is more than a programme. It is a commitment.”
As part of the initiative, the government also launched the “Adopt-a-School” platform. This allows government institutions, private sector organisations, and development partners to directly support school feeding efforts and help expand the programme’s reach across the country.
The launch event attracted high-level stakeholders, including ministers, members of the National Assembly, Directors-General, Managing Directors, development partners, and other key players, reflecting broad institutional support for the programme.
School children were present at the event, proudly holding their meal packs, a symbolic representation of the government’s renewed focus on nutrition-driven education and inclusive national development.
“Snacks for Thought” is intended to complement the existing school feeding programme by ensuring children start their school day well-nourished, thereby maximising the effectiveness of classroom teaching.
The Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme remains a flagship social investment initiative aimed at improving child nutrition, enhancing educational outcomes, and supporting local agriculture across Nigeria.
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