Olu Samuel

The Kogi State Government has received a food donation from the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) as part of its N16 billion Annual National Food Intervention programme, which was launched last month.

Speaking on behalf of Kogi State Government on Monday, Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Hajia Rabietu Okute, said 40,000 bags of 10kg rice were received from the ADF.

She said the food items have been distributed to the poor and vulnerable persons in the State.

On the distribution process, she explained that it followed Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s directive, who tasked the committee with ensuring the food items reach vulnerable residents across the state.

Mrs. Okute stated that the Food Programme was flagged off in Kogi on March 26, 2025, and the items have since been distributed to the beneficiaries.

Speaking on how the food items were shared, she said: “We shared the 40,000 bags of rice through the 21 Local Government Areas. The LGAs also shared the product to the 239 wards.”

She added: “Before this, a committee of 12 persons per Local Government was raised, and the State Government moblized the committees financially. The products were distributed to vulnerable groups like the union of disabilities and the 23 orphanages in the State.”

The Commissioner applauded the Aliko Dangote Foundation, while describing the intervention as a genuine act compassion and philantrophy.

She added: “On behalf of the people and government of Kogi State, we want to thank the Aliko Dangote Foundation, and specifically Alhaji Aliko Dangote himself for this food support. We are grateful and happy, and it means a lot to us. May God continue to support him and his businesses.”

Responding, General Manager Community Affairs/Special Duties, Dangote Cement Plc, Mr. Ademola Adeyemi, who supervised the distribution on behalf of ADF, said the food donation to Kogi will further boost the relationship between the company and the state.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou, had said the Annual National Food Intervention programme is a way of giving back, and supporting governments in fighting poverty and hunger in Nigeria.

She said Mr. Dangote is passionate about philanthropy and committed to ensuring that hunger is reduced to the minimum in Nigeria.