Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has unveiled fresh opportunities for school feeding programmes, healthcare interventions, and foreign investments following the state’s active participation at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) High-Level Week in New York.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Sunusi Dawakin-Tofa, Yusuf explained that the engagements underscored his administration’s vision to position Kano as Nigeria’s leading investment hub. Represented at the summit by Emir Sanusi II and the Director-General of Kan-Invest, Muhammad Halliru, the governor’s team explored collaborations with global partners, including Kenyan entrepreneur Wawira Njiru, founder of Food4Education, to tap into the African Development Bank’s support for school feeding programmes.

The Kano delegation also participated in high-profile events such as the Global Compact: Unstoppable Africa and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Goalkeepers Event, where the state showcased its development needs and investment potential. Yusuf revealed that a five-year multi-sectoral investment strategic plan will soon be unveiled to attract investors, create jobs, and boost state revenue.

This comes as the Federal Government prepares to scale up the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme. According to Aderemi Adebowale, National Programme Manager of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, the initiative aims to reach about 50 million primary school pupils by 2026, including out-of-school children, in a phased expansion.

With Kano’s global partnerships and Nigeria’s national scale-up plan, stakeholders believe the school feeding initiative could significantly improve nutrition, enhance learning outcomes, and reduce the number of out-of-school children in the country.