Shettima Commends Renewed Hope Baby Support Programme for Strengthening Child Welfare, Human Capital Development

Published By Ayshatu S Rabo On May 14, 2026

Shettima Commends Renewed Hope Baby Support Programme for Strengthening Child Welfare, Human Capital Development

Vice President Kashim Shettima has praised the Renewed Hope Baby Support (RHBS) programme, describing it as a strategic initiative designed to strengthen child welfare, identity registration, healthcare participation, and long-term human capital development in Nigeria.

The programme, initiated by the North East Development Commission (NEDC), was presented to the Vice President on Thursday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja by the Commission’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mohammed Goni Alkali.

Speaking during the presentation, Senator Shettima said the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of 2026 as the Year of the Family and Social Protection.

He commended the NEDC for taking proactive steps to translate the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda into practical interventions, particularly for vulnerable families in the North-East region.

“The RHBS is a very timely and strategic initiative. It sits squarely within the North East Stabilization and Development Masterplan, aligning perfectly with its three critical pillars: peaceful society, healthy citizens, and an educated populace,” the Vice President stated.

Shettima stressed the need for seamless collaboration among the NEDC, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and other relevant government agencies to ensure the programme achieves maximum impact nationwide.

He added that the initiative would help cushion the effects of ongoing economic reforms by providing structured support for women and children while strengthening social protection systems.

According to him, the RHBS programme demonstrates the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting vulnerable citizens even as broader economic reforms are being implemented.

The Vice President further disclosed that the Presidency would provide more details on the implementation and rollout strategy of the programme on May 27, 2026, during the commemoration of Children’s Day.

Earlier, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Regional Development and NEDC in the Office of the Vice President, Mariam Masha, explained that the RHBS programme was designed as a national human capital infrastructure initiative rather than a conventional welfare scheme.

She noted that Nigeria records approximately 7.6 million births annually, yet many children are not formally registered within their first year of life, creating long-term challenges for national planning in education, healthcare, and social development.

Dr. Masha said the programme seeks to ensure that every Nigerian child is connected from birth to formal systems of identity registration, healthcare services, and future opportunities through a milestone-based support structure.

She added that the programme is intended to serve as a practical mechanism for implementing President Tinubu’s family-centred governance agenda with a strong focus on early childhood development and inclusion.