First Lady Hosts Bank of Agriculture MD, Reviews Food Security Initiatives

Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, on Thursday received the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Agriculture, Ayo Sotinrin, at the State House in Abuja to discuss ongoing agricultural and nutrition programmes.

Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting, Sotinrin said initiatives championed by the First Lady in agriculture were already producing encouraging results, particularly in strengthening food security as well as improving maternal and child healthcare outcomes.

He highlighted the planned launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme, recently announced by the First Lady, noting that beyond addressing child malnutrition, the initiative would tackle nutritional deficiencies at the production stage through the promotion of bio-fortified crops.

According to him, discussions during the visit focused on finalising modalities for rolling out the programme nationwide, expressing optimism that the initiative would contribute to a healthier future generation.

Sotinrin added that another initiative of the First Lady, Every Home A Garden, is also under consideration by the bank as part of efforts to deepen the Federal Government’s food security agenda. He explained that the scheme would include support arrangements for female civil servants to participate through the programme.

The First Lady had recently flagged off an advocacy and awareness campaign for the National Community Food Bank Programme at the 2026 National Traditional and Religious Leaders Summit on Health, aimed at tackling child malnutrition across the country.