Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustaining and scaling up the O-Meal School Feeding Programme, describing it as a vital tool for improving child nutrition and educational outcomes.
Speaking through Commissioner for Economic Planning, Prof. Abdulmaruf Adeleke, at a stakeholders’ conference in Abuja, the governor appealed to development partners, donor agencies, and philanthropists to support the initiative, which began in 2006 and continues to face challenges due to rising food inflation.
The event, themed “Sustainability of O-Meal for Improved Children Nutrition in Osun State”, attracted officials from the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), World Food Programme (WFP), and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), among others.
Governor Adeleke highlighted the programme’s impact on school attendance, health, and economic development, stating, “Sustaining O-Meal means investing in the lives of children, empowering women, and building a stronger future for Osun.”
AUDA-NEPAD’s representative, Agymi Abubakar, praised Osun’s consistency, noting that the programme aligns with Agenda 2063’s vision for a prosperous and inclusive Africa. He urged greater private sector involvement and consistent budgetary support.
Also present were presidential aide on the Renewed Hope Homegrown Feeding Programme, Yetunde Adeniji, and representatives from UN agencies, foreign missions, and the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
The state’s Commissioner for Federal Affairs, Chief Mrs. Nike Adeleke, described the initiative as a model for national replication, calling it “a celebration of Osun’s homegrown success story.”
“Since its inception in 2006, the O-Meal programme has stood as a beacon of consistency and innovation, making Osun the only sub-national in Nigeria to have maintained an uninterrupted and structured school feeding initiative. The programme currently benefits over 200,000 children directly,” she said.
