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ADF Spreads Palliatives To 10 States
The 2025 Food Intervention Programme of the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has spread to 10 states.
Biztellers reports that some of the states already touched by the annual initiative include Kano, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Niger, Lagos, Abuja, Katsina, Borno and Gombe.
A statement from the ADF in Lagos on Monday has it that more states are to receive their deliveries this week.
It averred that “Over one million Nigerians from the 774 Local Government Areas will receive a 10kg bag of rice each from the Aliko Dangote Foundation, in a programme which is worth N16 billion. The hunger-alleviating initiative was flagged off in Kano by the Chairman of the Foundation, Aliko Dangote, for the 2025 intervention process.”
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Chief Executive Officer of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou, noted that the Food Intervention Programme is in its second edition, and described it as a way of supporting governments’ efforts and giving back to Nigerians, especially the needy and the vulnerable in the society.
Youssoufou, while fielding questions from journalists on the sideline of the flag-off in Kano, said the exercise reflects the concerns and compassion of Alh Dangote on the plight of the poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
On her part, a Trustee of the Foundation, Mariya Aliko Dangote, said the intervention is part of the Foundation’s response to the current economic challenges in the country, adding that it is expected to create some relief for the poor families.
Representative of the Foundation during the flag-off in Bauchi State, Ahmed Hashem, assured that the Foundation would not rest on its oars, adding that 25,000 bags of 10kg rice were delivered in the State.
Bauchi State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hajiya Hajara Yakubu Wanka, explained further that each of the 20 LGAs will receive 500 bags of the rice, while 10,000 bags would be allocated to mosques and churches, considering that the Christians are also observing the annual Lenten fasting period, while the remaining 5,000 bags will be shared to some critical stakeholders.
During the weekend, the Deputy Governor of Niger State, Yakubu Garba, commended the Foundation, adding that 30,000 bags of 10kg rice were delivered to the State.
He assured that beneficiaries would be carefully selected by a government committee for the distribution of the food items.
Similarly, in Nasarawa State, Governor Abdullahi Sule expressed profound gratitude for the 30,000-bag donation from ADF, saying that the distribution would commence immediately to ensure timely relief for the people.
The Emir of Keffi, Dr. Shehu Chindo Yamusa III, also lauded the intervention, offering prayers for continued prosperity for the Dangote Industries Limited.
In his remarks, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, had applauded Dangote’s many initiatives to ameliorate Nigerians’ sufferings and praised him for showing compassion for the needy.
Dr. Hamzat, who received the ADF delegation led by its Trustee, Hajiya Mariya Aliko Dangote and Managing Director of the Foundation, Youssoufou, on behalf of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, expressed gratitude for the Foundation’s consistency in spreading love and charity across Lagosians, which he described as one of the important aspects of the Ramadan and Lent season.
Sanwo-Olu said the gesture of distribution of 80,000 bags of 10kg rice shows that the leadership of the Foundation prioritise the welfare of the people beyond the pursuit of profit and accumulation of wealth.
The Governor said, “Aliko Dangote is a Nigerian that has chosen to be different. You have choices but you have made the right one, which is caring for the vulnerable. I appreciate Mr. Aliko Dangote for extending his kind gestures to the people at the bottom of the pyramid, and we are grateful for supporting us in government. There is a lot of global disruption in various parts of the world, and it is a tough time to be in a position of leadership.”
According to the Group Chief Branding and Corporate Communications Officer, Dangote Industries Limited, Anthony Chiejina, the distribution of food items by the Foundation is being coordinated through state governments to ensure that the nationwide assistance reaches the intended beneficiaries effectively.
“This monumental intervention reinforces the Aliko Dangote Foundation’s dedication to humanitarian service, offering much-needed respite to millions grappling with economic hardship across Nigeria,” Chiejina said.
Oil marketers have warned that Nigerians may soon pay as much as ₦1,500 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, as global oil prices surge following the escalating conflict involving Iran in the Middle East.
The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, issued the warning on Tuesday while speaking on a television programme on the impact of the global crisis on fuel prices.
According to him, the current volatility in the international oil market has already pushed petrol prices above ₦1,000 per litre at the depot level, with the ex-depot price from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now standing at about ₦1,175 per litre.
He explained that once logistics, transportation, and other operational costs are added, the final pump price could rise significantly, possibly reaching ₦1,500 per litre in the near future.
Despite concerns about the rising cost of fuel, Gillis-Harry noted that steady availability of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery remains a major relief for Nigeria, stressing that consistent supply is better than a nationwide fuel scarcity.
He added that the refinery’s production capacity is helping to stabilize supply across the country at a time when global markets remain highly unstable.
The latest price adjustment by the Dangote Refinery marks the fourth review within two weeks. Petrol prices increased from ₦995 per litre to ₦1,175 per litre, while diesel rose from ₦1,430 to about ₦1,620 per litre.
The development comes amid a sharp spike in international crude oil prices triggered by fears of supply disruptions due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Brent crude recently climbed above $102 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose to around $101 per barrel.
Industry analysts say the rising oil prices are already having a ripple effect on Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, forcing depot operators and fuel marketers to adjust their prices in response to the global market trend.
Meanwhile, the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stated that although Nigeria introduced a crude-for-naira arrangement to support local refineries, the facility still purchases crude oil at international market prices, leaving it exposed to global price fluctuations.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
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