Fidelity Bank Plc has extended its food relief intervention to Kogi State, distributing essential food items to more than 1,000 families through its Fidelity Food Bank Initiative.
The outreach, held at the Youth Centre in Lokoja, is part of the bank’s efforts to address food insecurity and provide support to vulnerable households across Nigeria.
Since the launch of the Fidelity Food Bank Initiative in April 2023, the programme has reached hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries nationwide, providing food assistance to families facing economic difficulties while supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2, which seeks to achieve Zero Hunger.
Speaking during the distribution exercise, the Regional Bank Head, North Central II, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mrs Blessing Onwumere, described the initiative as one of the bank’s major corporate social responsibility interventions.
Onwumere said the programme was established to help reduce hunger and improve the wellbeing of underserved communities, stressing that the bank believes businesses have a responsibility to contribute positively to the communities where they operate.
She said the Lokoja outreach went beyond the distribution of food items, as it was also aimed at strengthening families and helping communities build resilience.
“Today’s distribution will provide essential food supplies to over 1,000 beneficiaries. This initiative goes beyond the distribution of food items; it is about uplifting lives, strengthening communities, and supporting families with resources that contribute to their wellbeing and resilience,” she said.
She also appreciated the Lokoja community, Abbasid Foundation and other partners for their support towards the initiative.
The Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, represented by the Commissioner for Water Resources, Engr Yahaya Faruk, commended Fidelity Bank for what he described as a demonstration of responsible corporate citizenship.
Faruk said the intervention, particularly its focus on vulnerable women and youths, complemented government’s efforts to improve the welfare of residents.
“We commend Fidelity Bank for extending a helping hand to vulnerable members of our society, particularly women and youths. This is a laudable initiative that complements government’s efforts to improve the welfare of our people,” he said.
He urged other corporate organisations to emulate the bank’s intervention, noting that greater private-sector participation in social development could positively transform more lives.
Also speaking, the Kogi State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon Aridaojo Monday Anyebe, described the initiative as a timely intervention for young people and families across the state.
Anyebe, in his goodwill message, expressed appreciation to Fidelity Bank for its continued support for community development and called for stronger collaboration to extend the benefits of the initiative to more young people.
A beneficiary, Mrs Zainab Abubakar, expressed gratitude to the bank, saying the food items would provide significant support for her family.
She described the intervention as a source of hope for many households and prayed for the continued success of the bank’s efforts to support vulnerable Nigerians.
Fidelity Bank said its Food Bank Initiative remains part of its broader commitment to creating positive social impact and supporting communities across the country.
The bank operates as a full-fledged commercial deposit money bank, serving more than 10 million customers through digital banking channels and 255 business offices in Nigeria, as well as its United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
The financial institution has also received several local and international recognitions for its banking operations, MSME support, innovation, trade finance, private banking and community empowerment initiatives.
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