Shettima: Nigeria Ready To End Malnutrition With Nutrition 774 Initiative

* NCN adopts 10-year national policy on food and nutrition for FEC ratification

* Gives states, FCT three months to inaugurate own nutrition councils

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

Nigeria has expressed its readiness to end malnutrition in the country with the launch of Nutrition 774 Initiative.

Speaking at the 15th meeting of the National Council on Nutrition (NCN) held virtually on Tuesday, Vice-President Kashim Shettima while underscoring the efficacy of the Nutrition 774 Initiative, explained that

the programme is an indication that the government is pragmatic and fully ready to end malnutrition.

According to him, “It (Nutrition 774 Initiative) reminds us that the success of our nutrition reform will not be judged by federal announcements, but by co-coverage of interventions and household outcomes across all 774 local government areas.

“From Yobe to Bayelsa, from Katsina to Cross River, from Nasarawa to Ebonyi, every Nigerian child must be seen as the face of this national assignment. Behind every statistic is a child whose future is at stake. Behind every percentage is a mother, a family, a community, and a country either rising to its duty or retreating from it.”

He, however, observed that the National Nutrition Bill is the legislative backbone of the ongoing effort, and “must protect nutrition financing from the uncertainties of political cycles”, as well as “define obligations across federal, state and local governments”.

Also, the National Council on Nutrition (NCN) on Tuesday adopted the National Policy on Food and Nutrition (NPFN), 2026-2035 and directed the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning to present the policy to the Federal Executive Council for ratification.

The council’s approval followed a painstaking process of ratification by critical stakeholders in Nigeria’s nutrition sector comprising public and private sector sponsors.

The adoption of the policy was part of decisions taken by the council at its 15th meeting held virtually and chaired by Shettima.

Summarizing the council’s decision, the vice-president urged members of council to be guarded by the reality that behind every statistics discussed at the meeting “is a Nigerian child whose life chances are being written by what” the government does or fails to do in the months ahead.

“We will be judged not by our deliberations but by our deliveries. Not by what we decided in April 2026, but by what mothers and children in the 774 local government areas experience by 2035,” he added.

Shettima described the NPFN 2026-2035 as “the most consequential nutrition policy this country has produced,” saying “it is multi-sectoral by design, evidence-based by discipline and grassroots by orientation.”

He said: “It is not a Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning document. It is not a Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare document. It belongs to every ministry, every state, every LGA, every ward, and every household represented in the work of this council.

“Council mandates the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning to onward-transmit the document to the Federal Executive Council for final approval, and directs every nutrition-relevant ministry, department and agency to align its sectoral policies, plans and budgets with the provisions of the NPFN within 12 months. 

“Council further directs that all 36 states and the FCT operationalise State Multisectoral Plans of Action for Food and Nutrition within six to nine months.”

Council also approved the extension of the timeline for the submission of a draft bill on national nutrition by six weeks and directed that the draft must be submitted to the National Assembly within eight weeks. 

The vice-president commended the composition of the ad hoc committee, noting that “this is the right room to draft this Bill in”.

“Council approves the requested extension. Council also reaffirms that the Bill must be transmitted to the National Assembly within eight weeks from today,” he said.

On nutrition financing, NCN also approved the inclusion of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the Commissioners of Finance Forum, and ALGON in the sub-committee.

Shettima commended the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare for the Sub-committee’s work, highlighting the five financing streams identified, including, domestic, bilateral, multilateral, private sector, and innovative. 

Shettima said the sub-committee, in its operational mode, will work in close coordination with the Nutrition 774 Strategic Board to eliminate any duplication of mandate but rather reinforce one another.

Following the adoption of the policy, council directed the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, working through the NGF secretariat, and in coordination with the Office of the Vice-President, to lead the establishment and inauguration of state Councils on Nutrition in the remaining 27 states and the FCT within the next three months to give a sub-national ownership of the policy as only nine councils are in existence of the 36 states.

On private sector convergence, the vice-president directed “the establishment of a co-branded private sector challenge window for nutrition to be activated within 60 days, in coordination with the Dangote Foundation, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology”.

Earlier, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, thanked the vice-president, acknowledging the leadership he is providing to ensure the elevation of food security and nutrition as a national priority.

Regarding the National Policy on Food and Nutrition 2026–2035, the permanent secretary highlighted the progress made so far, explaining that the policy is a strategic framework for food security, the protection of human capital, and the acceleration of its objectives in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Stakeholders and partners in the public and private sectors expressed full alignment with the policy, noting that it is the best way to invest in a child’s life anywhere in the world.