President Bola Tinubu has approved the National Construction and Household Support Programme during the National Economic Council meeting on Thursday in Abuja. This initiative aims to boost agricultural productivity, strengthen the economy, and provide immediate economic relief to Nigerian households, according to a statement by presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale.
Ngelale elaborated that the programme, endorsed by the NEC, includes financial allocations and infrastructure projects across all geopolitical zones in the country. A significant component of the programme is the N50,000 uplift grant, which will be distributed to 100,000 families per state for three months. Additionally, N155 billion has been earmarked for the purchase and distribution of assorted foodstuffs nationwide to address concerns about food security and affordability.
Infrastructure projects under this programme include the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, which will traverse seven states and is crucial for agricultural sustainability, as these states form the nation’s food belt. Other significant initiatives are the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Trans-Saharan Highway. Furthermore, Tinubu has approved full counterpart financing for the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Railway and the Ibadan-Abuja segment of the Lagos-Kano Standard-Gauge Railway.
In addition to these projects, the NEC has allocated N10 billion to each state and the Federal Capital Territory for the procurement of buses and the implementation of the Compressed Natural Gas uplift programme. Provisions have also been made for labor unions and civil society organizations. During the NEC meeting, President Tinubu urged state governors to collaborate in meeting citizens’ needs and enhancing food production in the country.
He said, “Our states must work together to deliver on the critical reforms required of us to meet the needs of our people. Time is humanity’s most precious asset. You can never have enough of it. It is getting late.
“We are ready and able to support you in the form of the mechanization of your agricultural processes and the provision of high-quality seedlings.”
“We are prepared to provide solar-powered irrigation facilities to support our farmers across seasons, but we must now produce. We must produce the food our people eat, and it will require coordination and intentionality between members of the National Economic Council (NEC).”
“There is nothing we are doing that is more important than producing high-quality food for our people to consume, buy, and sell. We create jobs in the production of it. And that is before we generate wealth by exporting the excess. It is not beyond us to achieve this for Nigerians.”
“How much support do you need from me, and in what form? I am prepared to provide it. But we must achieve the result. We must deliver on our targets at all levels. Please report back following your consultations and submit to my office within seven days.”
