The Federal Government has unveiled an ICT-based monitoring system to strengthen accountability and transparency in the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).
Dr. Aderemi Adebowale, National Programme Manager of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), said the innovation introduces an end-to-end digital application to track every stage of the school feeding value chain.
The move comes after Vice President Kashim Shettima revealed that about ₦1 trillion may be required annually to sustain nationwide coverage of the programme. The announcement sparked concerns from the public, with many Nigerians questioning the credibility of past implementations that were allegedly marred by inflated contracts and weak oversight.
Addressing the concerns, Adebowale explained that the new system would block loopholes and eliminate mismanagement.
“We are deploying an end-to-end app that tracks the flow of funds and food supplies. For example, instead of paying cooks directly, we will pay verified suppliers once they deliver items to the designated local government areas. The cooks will then prepare the meals for the children,” she said.
She added that daily monitoring would be conducted by ward verifiers, with data stored on a live dashboard accessible in real time. The platform also integrates strong Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) measures to track suppliers, vendors, farmers, cooks, and logistics providers.
To further enhance transparency, Adebowale disclosed that all suppliers would be registered on the platform with their National Identification Numbers (NINs), while a QR code system would help trace any substandard food items back to their source.
She emphasized that the redesigned programme would operate openly, with details regularly made available to the public. Development partners are also collaborating with the agency to train and empower women involved in the value chain, including farmers and cooks.
The Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, which aligns with the government’s agenda to improve education and reduce out-of-school children, aims to feed 10 million pupils in 2024 and scale up to 20 million by 2025.