Federal Government Allocates N100bn for School Feeding Programme, Plans N15bn for MDAs’ Electricity Debt
The Federal Government has proposed a budget of N100 billion for the relaunch of the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), according to an analysis of the 2025 budget by Daily Trust. The programme, housed under the Service Wide Vote (SWV) and managed by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, aims to address the challenges of out-of-school children and enhance education nationwide.
The NHGSFP was suspended on January 12, following the suspension of Halima Shehu, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), over alleged financial malfeasance. However, in August, Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, announced plans to relaunch the initiative with sufficient resources to ensure its sustainability.
Edun highlighted the programme’s dual role in improving children’s health and incentivizing school attendance, particularly in underserved areas.
“Feeding children at school would not only improve their health and wellbeing but also incentivize them to remain in school, thereby reducing the number of out-of-school children,” Edun said.
Settlement of MDAs’ Electricity Debt
Among other allocations, the SWV budget for 2025 has increased to N6.7 trillion, up from N4.4 trillion in 2024, with N15 billion earmarked for settling electricity debts owed by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
The Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc (EKEDC) has claimed that MDAs, including the military, owe it N42 billion, while the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) previously threatened to disconnect electricity to the Presidential Villa and 86 federal government MDAs over outstanding debts of N47.1 billion as of December 2023.
Other Allocations
The budget also includes provisions for:
- N2.3 billion for entitlements of former presidents, heads of state, vice presidents, and chiefs of general staff.
- N1 billion for severance benefits for retired heads of government agencies and parastatals.
- N5 billion for international sporting competitions.
- N41.2 billion for contributions to international organizations.
The proposed allocations reflect the government’s attempt to balance addressing domestic challenges, such as education and utility payments, with its international obligations and commitments.
