The Saudi Arabian Embassy, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency, has flagged off the 2026 Food Aid Project in Nigeria.

This was announced in a statement by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation on Monday in Abuja.

The project by the embassy, through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, aims to support populations affected by displacement, insecurity, and other humanitarian challenges across Nigeria.

The project will distribute 24,302 food baskets, each weighing approximately 60 kilograms and containing essential food items such as rice, cooking oil, white beans, salt, and other staple commodities.

Valued at over $1.5 million, the intervention is expected to benefit 145,812 people in communities across the country, providing much-needed relief to vulnerable households facing food insecurity.

Speaking during the flag-off in Damaturu, the Director-General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to ensuring a transparent and efficient distribution of the food items to identified beneficiaries.

Ms Umar added that the food project was in line with the Agency’s mandate to coordinate disaster response and humanitarian assistance in Nigeria. According to her, the food baskets will be distributed across the five intervention states (Yobe, Benue, Anambra, Kebbi, and Taraba).

The initiative underscores the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s continued commitment to humanitarian assistance and support for vulnerable populations in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin region.

Through KSrelief, Saudi Arabia has continued to provide critical relief interventions to improve food security and alleviate the suffering of people affected by crises.

Ms Umar said the partnership between NEMA and KSrelief reflected the importance of international collaboration in addressing humanitarian challenges and supporting communities in need.

(NAN)