Fidelity Bank and Humanitarian Affairs Ministry has distributed 2,000 food packs to vulnerable households in Abuja.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Fidelity Bank Plc has partnered with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction to support vulnerable households in Abuja through its Food Bank programme, as part of efforts to tackle hunger and poverty in Nigeria.
The intervention, which involved the distribution of 2,000 food packs to residents of the Federal Capital Territory, was announced at an event held recently to commemorate the 2026 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
Launched in April 2023, the Fidelity Food Bank is one of the bank’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. The programme is designed to address hunger and malnutrition by providing food support to communities affected by food insecurity.
Since its introduction, the initiative has distributed more than 300,000 food packs to beneficiaries across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
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Speaking at the event, Fidelity Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, represented by the bank’s Divisional Head of Public Sector, Richard Madiebo, said the bank’s poverty reduction interventions extend beyond food distribution to entrepreneurship support and other empowerment programmes.
She said these initiatives are aimed at helping individuals and families improve their livelihoods and achieve economic independence.
According to Onyeali-Ikpe, Fidelity Bank’s commitment to community development spans nearly three decades and reflects its longstanding efforts to improve the wellbeing of communities where it operates.
“Fidelity Bank has always aligned its CSR programmes with the needs of its host communities. We understand the importance of private sector participation in addressing poverty and promoting inclusive development,” she said.
She disclosed that the bank had delivered 2,000 food packs to residents of Abuja, adding that discussions were ongoing with the ministry on other areas of collaboration.
“There are several other initiatives that the ministry and the bank are discussing, and we will allow the ministry to provide further details at the appropriate time,” she added.
Also speaking, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard M. Doro, commended Fidelity Bank for supporting efforts to improve the welfare of vulnerable Nigerians.
He called for stronger collaboration between the government and private sector organisations to address multidimensional poverty and expand economic opportunities for disadvantaged communities.
Doro noted that 63 per cent of Nigeria’s population lives in multidimensional poverty, arguing that the situation excludes a significant number of citizens from meaningful economic participation.
“When 63 per cent of the population lives in multidimensional poverty, a substantial number of people are excluded from economic participation. This also means that businesses are unable to reach a large segment of their potential customers,” the minister said.
He said the ministry was working to strengthen partnerships with private sector organisations to create more opportunities for citizens to participate in productive economic activities.
“Our responsibility as a ministry is to unlock partnerships with the private sector. Such collaboration is critical to expanding economic opportunities and bringing more people into productive economic activities. We are pleased that Fidelity Bank is fully committed to this effort,” Doro stated.
The minister urged stakeholders to ensure that poverty reduction programmes go beyond public declarations and deliver measurable and sustainable improvements in the lives of vulnerable households.
Fidelity Bank said its Food Bank programme forms part of its broader commitment to social investment, financial inclusion and community development.
The bank serves more than 9.1 million customers through digital banking channels and 255 business offices in Nigeria, as well as its United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
Fidelity Bank has received several local and international recognitions, including awards for digital transformation, mobile banking innovation, SME banking and export financing.
