Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for an end to fragmented interventions in tackling Nigeria’s malnutrition crisis, which costs the country $56 billion annually and affects 40% of children under five.
Speaking at the National Summit on Nutrition and Food Security on Tuesday, Shettima emphasized the need for unified action across all government levels to combat what he described as a national emergency.
“The era of fragmented interventions is over. We can no longer afford parallel systems that dilute our collective strength,” Shettima said through his representative, Senator Ibrahim Hadejia.
The summit, organized by the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, launched the National Legislative Network on Nutrition and Food Security, comprising lawmakers from federal and state levels—an unprecedented legislative engagement in Nigeria’s nutrition sector.
Economic Impact Staggering
House Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas disclosed that malnutrition costs Nigeria 12.2% of its Gross National Income, approximately $56 billion annually, while post-harvest losses alone account for $2 billion yearly.
“Such figures compel us to move beyond rhetoric to concrete, sustained interventions,” Abbas stated, highlighting Nigeria’s potential to become “Africa’s food basket” with its vast arable lands.
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The government’s response centers on the N774 Initiative, designed to revitalize local action across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas. Under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, nutrition has been repositioned as a central pillar of national development.
Committee Chairman, Hon. Chike Okafor stressed the urgency of action, noting that nearly 40% of Nigerian children under five are being robbed of their physical and cognitive potential due to malnutrition.
Two key bills are before the National Assembly: extending maternity leave to six months for nursing mothers and eliminating unsafe bulk oil sales in open markets—both aimed at protecting vulnerable populations.
The committee is implementing capacity-building sessions across all 36 states, working with the National Institute of Democratic and Legislative Studies to ensure comprehensive oversight of nutrition interventions.
Call for Alignment
While acknowledging contributions from development partners including the World Bank, UNICEF, and other international organizations, Shettima emphasized the need for alignment with national frameworks.
“Nigeria needs one plan, one voice, one framework, and unified accountability. Anything less is a betrayal of the children who depend on us,” he declared.
The Vice President challenged legislators to ensure consistent budgetary allocations and move policies from chambers to communities, describing nutrition financing as “not a matter of charity, but of justice.”
The summit’s theme, “Curbing Malnutrition and Food Insecurity Through Effective Synergies,” reflects the government’s recognition that addressing malnutrition requires coordinated action across health, agriculture, education, and economic sectors.
Okafor commended development partners but stressed that “we cannot continue to allow Development Partners to implement and oversee themselves on nutrition interventions, and expect better transparency and value for money.”
The National Legislative Network represents a shift toward institutionalized oversight and accountability in nutrition programming, with lawmakers from all 36 states committed to addressing root causes of malnutrition at the grassroots level.
As Nigeria positions itself to tackle this crisis, the success of these initiatives will be measured not in policy documents but in the lives of children who can finally reach their full potential.
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