By Citizenship Daily
The Aliko Dangote Foundation has donated 35,000 bags of rice to the poor and vulnerable people of Katsina State.
Elsewhere, the industrialist similarly gave out 25, 000 bags also of rice to beneficiaries in Kwara state.
This is coming two weeks after it commenced the distribution of one million bags of rice worth N16billion across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.
Representative of the Foundation, Mustapha Umar, disclosed this during the Katsina flag off on Tuesday at the Muhammad Dikko Stadium.
Umar explained that the beneficiaries were selected across the 361 wards of the 34 Local Government Areas (LGA) of the state.
He said that the Foundation provided the support to the beneficiaries as part of its humanitarian gesture to cushion the economic hardship being faced by vulnerable persons.
According to him, the gesture in Ramadan is intended to complement governemnt efforts to improve the wellbeing of the people.
Umar noted that: “This year’s gesture is targeting over one million vulnerable Nigerians, aimed at reducing their hardship due to the economic situation in the country.
“The Foundation was in various parts of the country to offer similar support to assist people, especially Muslims to observe the Ramadan fasting with relative ease.
He said 94 persons will benefit from the gesture from each of the political ward in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the state government, the Hisbah Board Commander, Dr Aminu Usman, said the support will go a long way in reducing the challenges of the poor.
He Commended the Aliko Dangote Foundation for the initiative, saying that such will complement the effort made by the state government through providing free Ramadan feeding among other things.
He called on other wealthy individuals to imbibe the culture of assisting the less privileged, especially in the holy month of Ramadan.
Some of the beneficiaries, including physically challenged people, thanked the ADF for the food support, and other humanitarian assistance.
During the distribution of the 10kg bags of rice, some of the beneficiaries had to be wheeled to the venue to collect their share.
The exercise was supervised by officials of the Katsina government, which included member of the Hisba Board, State Community Development Programme and other stakeholders.
In Kwara, the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) also extended its Food Intervention Programme to Kwara State with 25,000 bags of 10kg rice set to be distributed across the 16 local government areas of the state.
The ADF team led by the Group General Manager Human Resources, Dangote Cement PLC, Ahmed Gobir, was received by the Kwara State governor, Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman, represented by his deputy, Kayode Alabi, at the Ministry of Agriculture, Ilorin, the Kwara State capital on Tuesday(25th March, 2025.)
Mr Alabi expressed that the unwavering commitment of the Chairman of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, Mr Aliko Dangote, in alleviating the suffering of the vulnerable is a great inspiration and one that is worth emulation.
The deputy governor assured that, “The rice, which will be distributed to indigent families across the state, comes at a crucial time, as our Muslim brothers and sisters observe the sacred month of Ramadan and our Christian brothers and sisters are in the season of Lent. It is an act of compassion that will provide much-needed relief to those who are fasting and in need.
“I would like to take this opportunity to commend the Aliko Dangote Foundation for this kind and selfless contribution. This gesture not only complements the ongoing efforts of the Kwara State Government to support vulnerable communities, but it also demonstrates the power of partnership between the public and private sectors in lifting our people out of hardship.
“We remain deeply grateful for the Dangote Foundation’s continued support for indigent people across the country. This generosity serves as a reminder of the importance of corporate social responsibility and the critical role philanthropists play in addressing poverty and hardship.
“I encourage other individuals and corporations to follow in the footsteps of the Dangote Foundation and similar bodies, as we work together to build a better, more inclusive society for all,” he said.
Malam Gobir, who represented the Chairman of the Aliko Foundation, stated that the ADF decided to partner with state government in the 2025 food intervention programme distribution to foster relationship between the private and public stakeholders, noting that out of the one million bags of rice for the 774 local government areas of the federation, Kwara State has received 25,000 bags for its 16 local governments which is aimed at cushioning the effect of economic hardship.
“The ADF is the philanthropic effort of Mr Aliko Dangote, and has been consistent in delivering different humanitarian projects across the federation.
“This is the second year in a row that the ADF is donating one million bags of 10kg rice worth N16bn for the 36 states and the FCT.
“This is not just a gesture of charity; it is a demonstration of our commitment to set Nigerians and Africans up for success, it is a testament to further foster the Aliko Dangote Foundation’s four-pillar goal in nutrition, health, education and empowerment. By providing these bags of rice, we aim to alleviate the immediate hunger and hardship experienced by many and contribute to the broader goal of food security in Kwara State and Nigeria at large.”
