The Federal Government on Tuesday flagged off the distribution of Presidential Emergency Food and Nutrition Items in Sokoto State, targeting 20,000 vulnerable households as part of efforts to tackle food insecurity and malnutrition.
The exercise was launched on February 10, 2026, at the Government House, Sokoto.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, said the intervention was aimed at protecting vulnerable Nigerians, particularly women, children, the elderly and persons with disabilities.
He said the programme would provide essential food items and specialised nutrition commodities, including supplies for the treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) among children, adding that therapeutic nutrition supplies would also be delivered to specialist and general hospitals across the state.
Sununu said the initiative was approved under the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following projections that millions of Nigerians could face extreme hunger due to economic shocks, climate change, insecurity and reduced international humanitarian funding.
He added that beyond emergency relief, the ministry is pursuing longer-term measures such as livelihood support, skills acquisition, agricultural recovery and community-based resilience programmes for internally displaced persons and host communities.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry said the intervention was necessitated by rising humanitarian needs and funding gaps caused by the scaling down of support from some international partners, adding that the Federal Government approved the programme to bridge critical gaps in life-saving assistance.
He urged stakeholders involved in the distribution to ensure transparency and accountability so the items reach intended beneficiaries.
In his remarks, Sokoto State Governor, Dr. Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, thanked the Federal Government for the intervention and assured that the state would ensure effective coordination and dignified distribution of the items across the state.
He said the exercise, which began in Sokoto Central Senatorial District, would be extended to Sokoto East and Sokoto North.
Earlier, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Hajia Asabe Balarabe, said the intervention came at a critical time as the state government intensifies efforts to improve the welfare of vulnerable residents.
The event was attended by federal and state officials, development partners, security agencies, traditional rulers and community stakeholders.
