FG SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS URGENCY OF NUTRITION CRISIS IN NIGERIA

Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for unified national action to combat Nigeria’s malnutrition crisis, revealing that nearly 40% of children under five are deprived of their full physical and cognitive development due to poor nutrition.
Speaking at the National Summit on Nutrition and Food Security in Abuja on Wednesday, July 9th, Shettima—represented by Deputy Chief of Staff Senator Ibrahim Hadejia—highlighted government initiatives such as the Nutrition 774 Initiative, a grassroots-focused programme targeting malnutrition in underserved communities across the country.
He stressed that food insecurity in Nigeria is not just a health challenge but an economic one, affecting the nation’s human capital development. “This is not a celebration but a reminder of a crisis,” Shettima said. “The Nutrition 774 initiative is a living strategy designed for real impact.”
Echoing his remarks, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Uju Anwukah, revealed that Nigeria ranks second globally and first in Africa for malnutrition prevalence, attributing part of the crisis to weak nutrition coordination and funding gaps.
Chairman of the House Committee on Food and Nutrition, Hon. Chike Okafor, disclosed that malnutrition costs Nigeria an estimated $1.5 billion annually, with broader economic losses estimated at $56 billion, or 12.2% of Gross National Income, based on World Bank data. He urged state-level action to tackle post-harvest losses and poor food infrastructure.