Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, on Monday unveiled the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Academy, a modern clinic and dialysis centre in Hadejia, Jigawa State, and launched the North-West phase of the National Community Food Bank Programme aimed at tackling food insecurity and malnutrition.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, Senator Tinubu described the projects as clear evidence of the commitment of the federal and Jigawa State governments to improving infrastructure, expanding access to quality healthcare and investing in education and the future of young Nigerians.
She said the state-of-the-art clinic and dialysis centre, named in her honour, would provide relief and hope to patients suffering from chronic kidney disease and other health challenges in Hadejia, neighbouring communities and beyond.
According to the First Lady, the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Academy reflected President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to human capital development and educational excellence, noting that investing in education today would secure a better future for Nigeria’s children.
In addition to commissioning the projects, Senator Tinubu launched the National Community Food Bank Programme for the North-West, describing it as a deliberate and sustainable response to food insecurity and malnutrition among vulnerable households.
She explained that the initiative targets children under the age of six, pregnant women and lactating mothers by providing access to nutritious food, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
The First Lady said the programme is being implemented through a partnership involving the Office of the First Lady, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Bank of Agriculture.
Recalling the programme’s rollout, she noted that after its inaugural launch in Borno State for the North-East, it had already enrolled 560 beneficiaries and reached 468 vulnerable children, pregnant women and nursing mothers within two months. She expressed confidence that Jigawa State would record even greater success.
Governor Umar Namadi commended the First Lady for bringing the initiative to the state, describing it as a timely intervention that would improve nutrition among children and provide critical support for vulnerable households.
He said the programme complements Jigawa State’s food and nutrition policies and aligns with ongoing interventions that have screened hundreds of thousands of children for malnutrition while training women to produce locally made nutritious food.
Governor Namadi assured that governors of the North-West zone would provide the necessary support to ensure the programme’s success by strengthening food centres, providing storage and distribution facilities and maintaining transparency and accountability.
The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Academy was established with the support of the National Information Technology Development Agency and is equipped with a fabrication laboratory, innovation hub, AI-powered learning facilities, start-up incubation spaces, an auditorium and residential accommodation to promote digital innovation and technical education.
The adjoining clinic and dialysis centre, built and equipped by FutureMap Foundation and eHealth Africa, features a dedicated dialysis unit, operating theatre, maternity rooms, piped oxygen system and renewable energy infrastructure designed to provide uninterrupted healthcare services.
Both facilities are expected to complement each other by enabling the academy to develop medical prototypes and diagnostic tools that will support healthcare delivery at the clinic, particularly in the prevention and management of chronic kidney disease.
The event was attended by governors from the seven North-West states and their spouses, senior federal government officials, traditional rulers and other dignitaries, including the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Hajiya Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, the Director-General of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Muyi Aina, and the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa.
