The Osun State Government has revealed that it spends more than ₦32 million daily to sustain its flagship homegrown school feeding programme, O’Meals, benefiting over 200,000 individuals, including public school pupils, local food vendors, and smallholder suppliers.
The disclosure was made by the State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, who reaffirmed Osun’s status as the only Nigerian state to have implemented an uninterrupted, structured school feeding programme since its inception in 2006.
According to Alimi, “This daily expenditure is not just a cost—it is an investment in education, nutrition, and local economic development. Through the O’Meals programme, we are nourishing children and empowering communities.”
Upcoming Policy Conference on School Feeding
To ensure the long-term sustainability of the initiative, the government will convene a high-level stakeholders’ conference titled:
“Sustainability of O’Meals for Improved Child Nutrition in Osun State”
The event will hold on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja, and is being organised in partnership with the African Union Development Agency – NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD).
Themed around enhancing resilience in school feeding programmes, the conference will serve as a platform for strategic dialogue between sub-national actors and global stakeholders. Discussions will explore how programmes like O’Meals can be sustained and replicated in other states, particularly under economic constraints and in rural contexts.
Expected Participants
Confirmed partners and agencies expected at the event include:
- Dangote Foundation
- UN World Food Programme (WFP)
- Family Health International (FHI360)
- Nutrition International
- Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
- ActionAid Nigeria
- Partnership for Child Development
These institutions have been involved in designing or supporting school feeding interventions across Africa and are expected to bring global best practices to the table.
Why O’Meals Matters
Launched before the federal government’s own national homegrown school feeding programme (launched in 2016), O’Meals has served as a model in conversations on food security, child development, and school attendance.
Numerous studies, including those by the Global Child Nutrition Foundation and UNICEF, show that school feeding enhances enrolment, reduces dropout rates, and improves cognitive performance—particularly among children from low-income households.
The Osun programme sources ingredients locally, ensuring that over 3,000 food vendors and hundreds of farmers across the state are economically engaged. “O’Meals demonstrates how a state-led programme can integrate nutrition, education, and rural development into one cohesive framework,” Alimi noted.
A Model for Sub-National Governance
The July conference aims to review financial models, policy frameworks, and impact assessments that can guide the scaling or reform of school feeding across Nigeria.
“This is not just about Osun,” Alimi added. “It’s about how state governments can lead with vision and accountability. We’re sharing what we’ve learned so others can adapt, improve, and succeed.”
The Osun State Government reiterated its commitment to ensuring that no child is left behind, regardless of social or economic background. Through inter-agency partnerships, transparent budgeting, and community mobilisation, the state continues to lead in social investment programming in Nigeria.
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