Elizabeth Nnoko, Communications Manager, Olam Agri (left), and Dr Michael Sunbola, President/Executive Director, Lagos Food Bank Initiative (right), presenting food boxes donated by Olam Agri to households in Lagos, in commemoration of World Food Day 2026, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Susan Abayomi
Olam Agri has partnered with the Lagos Food Bank Initiative (LFBI) to distribute 600 food boxes to vulnerable households across Lagos, Kano, Nasarawa and Kwara states as part of activities marking the 2026 World Food Day.
The food boxes contained essential items, including spaghetti, macaroni, semolina and vegetable oil, to help ease the burden of food expenses on families facing economic challenges.
The initiative, held in commemoration of World Food Day on October 16, aligns with this year’s theme, “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow,” which highlights the importance of innovation and collective action in improving food security.
Elizabeth Nnoko, Communications Manager at Olam Agri, said the theme underscores the need to strengthen food systems through innovation and practical interventions that improve access to nutritious food.
She explained that the impact of innovation in the food sector should be measured by its ability to ensure that people have access to the food they need.
For beneficiaries, the intervention provided relief amid the challenges of meeting household food needs.
Rose Okereke, a grandmother caring for seven grandchildren, expressed appreciation for the support, noting that the food items would help her provide meals for the children for several days.
Similarly, Mrs Jadesola Kasali thanked the company for including her household among the beneficiaries, saying the supplies would help sustain her family for the week.
Other recipients also welcomed the initiative and called on more businesses in the food sector to support vulnerable communities through similar interventions.
President and Executive Director of the Lagos Food Bank Initiative, Dr Michael A. Sunbola, commended Olam Agri for its partnership and continued efforts to improve food access.
He said collaboration between businesses and community organisations remained essential to addressing food insecurity, adding that food assistance could ease immediate financial pressures and allow families to channel limited resources towards other necessities.
Olam Agri Nigeria Country Head, Anil Nair, said the partnership reflected the company’s responsibility to support the well-being of communities beyond its commercial operations.
According to him, providing essential food items to households in need forms part of the company’s broader commitment to building a more food-secure Nigeria.
He added that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope agenda and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger.
The company noted that while immediate food assistance remains important, lasting progress in food security also requires sustained partnerships, community empowerment and investment in resilient food systems.
Olam Agri’s latest intervention builds on its previous community support initiatives in Nigeria. In 2024, the company partnered with the Lagos Food Bank Initiative to distribute 800 food boxes valued at ₦13 million to vulnerable residents of Makoko and Ajegunle in Lagos State, as well as communities affected by flooding in Maiduguri.
The company also supported the Eko World Food Day initiative and committed to providing boreholes for farming communities in Nasarawa State.
Through these efforts, Olam Agri continues to support initiatives aimed at improving food access and strengthening the resilience of vulnerable households and farming communities across Nigeria.
