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The indefatigable Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu, has donated N25 billion to underpin the Produce for Lagos Programme, an initiative of the State Food Systems Infrastructure Company.
The programme, the first of its kind in Nigeria, is expected to strengthen food security and economic development in the burgeoning city that accommodates over 20 million people
The philanthropist announced the copious donation during the launch of the initiative on Wednesday in Lagos.
“In a few years’ time, it will help us face the challenge of the joblessness of our young ones,” Elumelu said.“We believe that joblessness is a great problem of our young people. They shouldn’t be jobless. We have arable lands.”
Elumelu enjoined all captains of industry to collaborate and bring the vision to life, describing it as “our initiative”.
The state commissioner of Agriculture and Food System, Abisola Olusanya, officially launched the Produce for Lagos Programme along with a N500 billion offtake guarantee fund.
Olusanya said the initiative is part of the Lagos State Agricultural and Food Systems Roadmap, which was launched in 2021.
The commissioner reiterated that the programme addresses the informal and uncoordinated flow of food into Lagos by introducing a data-driven framework that enables states to track and optimise the supply of agricultural produce to the state.
According to a recent report by the the government of Nigeria, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Food Security Sector partners, some 30.6 million people in 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are projected to face acute food and nutrition insecurity at Crisis (CH Phase 3) or worse during the June–August 2025 lean season.
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