L-R: Incoming Vice Chairman, Lokoja LGA, Mrs. Fatima Abdulkadir; Kogi State Project Coordinator, Nigeria for Women Project Scale-Up (NFWP-SU), Pastor Mrs. Esther Ameadaji; Commissioner for Water Resources, Kogi State, Engr. Yahaya Faruk; Branch Leader, Fidelity Bank Plc, Lokoja, Mr. Nuhu Omale; and Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Kogi State, Hon. Aridaojo Monday Anyebe, during the Fidelity Food Bank distribution exercise in Lokoja, Kogi State.
By Peace Udugba
Bank deepens fight against food insecurity with relief distribution to vulnerable households in Lokoja
Fidelity Bank Plc has supported more than 1,000 families in Kogi State with essential food items through its Fidelity Food Bank Initiative, as part of efforts to tackle food insecurity and improve the welfare of vulnerable households.
The distribution exercise, held at the Youth Centre in Lokoja, underscores the bank’s commitment to creating positive social impact and supporting communities across Nigeria.
Since its launch in April 2023, the Fidelity Food Bank Initiative has reached hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries nationwide, providing food relief to families facing economic hardship while contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2), which focuses on ending hunger.
Speaking during the 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 (CSR) interventions.
Onwumere said the programme was designed to help reduce hunger, improve the wellbeing of underserved communities and demonstrate Fidelity Bank’s commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of Nigerians.
She said the Lokoja outreach went beyond the distribution of food items, noting that the initiative was also aimed at strengthening communities and helping families 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.
“We appreciate the Lokoja community, the Abbasid Foundation and all our partners for supporting this impactful initiative,” she said.
The Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, represented by the Commissioner for Water Resources, Engr. Yahaya Faruk, commended Fidelity Bank for the intervention, describing it as a demonstration of responsible corporate citizenship.
According to him, the initiative would complement government’s efforts to improve the welfare of vulnerable citizens, particularly women and young people.
“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.
“We remain committed to providing an enabling environment for the bank and other responsible businesses to thrive. If more corporate organisations emulate Fidelity Bank’s example, many more lives will be positively transformed,” he said.
Also speaking, the Kogi State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Aridaojo Monday Anyebe, described the food distribution as a timely intervention for families and young people across the state.
“On behalf of the youths of Kogi State, I sincerely appreciate Fidelity Bank for this timely intervention. The Fidelity Food Bank initiative continues to provide much-needed relief to families and demonstrates the bank’s genuine commitment to community development.
“We look forward to strengthening this partnership for the benefit of even more young people across the state,” he said.
A beneficiary, Mrs. Zainab Abubakar, expressed appreciation to Fidelity Bank for the assistance, saying the food items would provide significant support to her family.
“This is the first time I am receiving this kind of assistance, and I am truly grateful to Fidelity Bank. These food items will go a long way in supporting my family. Fidelity Bank has brought hope to many homes, and we pray that the bank continues to prosper so it can keep touching more lives,” she said.
Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged commercial deposit money bank serving more than 10 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and its United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
The bank has received several local and international recognitions, including the 2025 Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) Innovation Award for MSME support, Best Retail and SME Bank Award from Independent Newspapers, Best Bank for Export & Trade Finance and Most Innovative Bank of the Year at the 2025 BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, and Nigeria’s Best Private Bank at the 2025 Euromoney Awards.
The bank also received the inaugural Most Improved Commercial Bank of the Year award by Nairametrics, SME Bank of the Year by NewsDirect and the Straight-Through Processing (STP) Excellence Award by Citi Group, alongside recognition from Global Brands Magazine for Excellence in Community Empowerment.
