Abuja: A two-year-old child from rural Adamawa survived severe malnutrition last year, thanks to a timely nutrition intervention. This case highlights the precarious line between life and death for children facing food insecurity across Nigeria.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the 2023 National Nutrition and Health Survey reveals that 37 per cent of Nigerian children under five are stunted, 7 per cent suffer from wasting, and 22 per cent are underweight. This data underscores the urgent need for strengthened nutrition interventions. Dr Ben Ojewola, a consultant paediatrician at Isolo General Hospital, explained that inadequate and suboptimal breastfeeding practices are major contributors to child malnutrition, which in turn drives high infant mortality across Nigeria and neighbouring African countries.
Ojewola noted that food insecurity restricts mothers’ dietary intake, limiting their ability to produce sufficient breast milk, adversely affecting children’s growth, immunity, and cognitive development. Citing the World Health Organisation (WHO), Ojewola clarified that exclusive breastfeeding involves feeding infants only breast milk for the first six months, with exceptions made solely for medically necessary vitamins, medications, or oral rehydration solutions. He lamented that economic hardships, rising inflation, and escalating food costs often prevent mothers from practising exclusive breastfeeding, urging urgent interventions to protect child health and ensure early-life nutrition for all infants.
Supporting this perspective, Oncologist Dr Tolulope Okunowo, managing partner at MercyWay Medical Centre, added that stress, anxiety, and strenuous labour can reduce milk production, forcing mothers to rely on formula feeding, increasing malnutrition risks. Okunowo advised mothers to prioritise rest and proper nutrition, highlighting that exclusive breastfeeding also functions as an effective family planning method, temporarily inhibiting conception and improving maternal-child health outcomes.
In Adamawa, the Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has urged the state government to invest N9 billion in child nutrition, leveraging counterpart funding to double the impact. Mr Sodangi Chindo, Chairman of CS-SUNN’s Steering Committee, noted that such an approach could allow Adamawa to access double-value funding opportunities, effectively reducing required expenditure while extending malnutrition interventions across the state. He described malnutrition as a public health crisis in Adamawa, with stunting at 48.6 per cent, wasting at seven per cent, and underweight prevalence at 32.5 per cent.
Similarly, in Benue, CS-SUNN highlighted alarming malnutrition indicators despite the state’s reputation as the ‘Food Basket of the Nation’. Mr Sunday Okoronkwo, CS-SUNN Executive Secretary, reported that 25.3 per cent of children are stunted, 6.7 per cent suffer from wasting, and 13.6 per cent are underweight. He emphasised that investing in maternal and child nutrition is not merely a social intervention but a strategic economic choice, as malnutrition erodes human capital and suppresses lifetime earnings.
In Bauchi State, authorities introduced Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS) for children aged six to 23 months, complementing breastfeeding and ensuring daily nutrient intake for healthy growth. Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, Executive Chairman of Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Board, explained that SQ-LNS bridges nutrient gaps, addresses micronutrient deficiencies, and prevents stunting before malnutrition becomes severe. The State Nutrition Officer, Abubakar Saleh, added that SQ-LNS is made from local ingredients, making it affordable, acceptable, and nutritionally adequate for children.
In Katsina, the International Red Cross donated 4,117 cartons containing 600,500 packs of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) to support children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Mr Bala Abdullahi-Hussaini, Secretary of the state Red Cross branch, said LGAs including Bindawa, Zango, and Kankia had benefited. Complementary programmes on peacebuilding, youth empowerment, and cholera response further expanded the organisation’s impact.
At the national level, the Federal Government called on stakeholders to align Nigeria’s food and nutrition policies with research, current realities, and global best practices. Dr Deborah Odoh, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, noted that the revised National Policy on Food and Nutrition (NPFN) is critical for identifying gaps, addressing challenges, and leveraging opportunities to improve nutrition outcomes nationwide.
With multi-sector collaboration, evidence-informed policy, civil society engagement, and targeted nutrition interventions, Nigeria aims to curb malnutrition, enhance early-life development, and secure a healthier, more productive generation of children.