The Traffic

Dangote’s Lifeline: 30,000 Bags of Rice Flood Niger State Amid Rising Hunger"

By Achimi Muktar

As economic hardship tightens its grip on Nigeria, the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has stepped in to provide relief, donating 30,000 bags of 50kg rice to vulnerable residents in Niger State.

The massive food intervention, which took place on Saturday, aims to alleviate hunger and poverty among the most disadvantaged Nigerians, including widows, orphans, and persons with disabilities.

Speaking at the distribution event in Minna, Ahmed Hashim, Group Managing Director of Dangote Group, reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to tackling hunger.

"We are dedicated to supporting the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce poverty and hunger in Nigeria. This donation is part of our ongoing commitment to complement the state government’s initiatives,” Hashim said.

Niger State’s Deputy Governor, Yakubu Garba, who was present at the distribution, expressed deep gratitude for the donation, emphasizing that food insecurity remains a pressing issue.

“We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Aliko Dangote Foundation for this gesture. Poverty and hunger are multi-dimensional problems that require collective efforts to tackle," Garba stated.

The state government, he revealed, has also been working to combat food scarcity, rolling out its own initiatives such as Niger Foods, a special-purpose vehicle aimed at making the state a leading exporter of grains. Since the start of Ramadan, the state has subsidized the cost of 400 truckloads of assorted grains for its 25 local government areas, offering them at half price.

Garba called on wealthy individuals and businesses to follow Dangote’s example by either donating food to the needy or offering it at subsidized rates.

With hunger becoming a growing crisis in Nigeria, philanthropic gestures like this may become the lifeline that millions desperately need.