From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government, with support from Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition Nigeria (CS-SUNN), recently hosted a high-level policy dialogue on nutrition financing at the BAFRA Hotel in Kaduna.
The event aimed to secure grassroots funding to eliminate malnutrition across all 23 local government areas.
The gathering brought together top state officials, local government chairpersons, traditional rulers, and development partners. The main goal was to confirm financial commitments and develop sustainable frameworks for local nutrition investments.
In his keynote address, Mukhtar Abdullahi, Chairman of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN) and Permanent Secretary of the Planning and Budget Commission, highlighted the state’s vision, emphasizing that nutrition is essential to human development, economic growth, and societal health.
While recognizing Kaduna’s progress—such as establishing Local Government Committees on Food and Nutrition and integrating nutrition into local development plans—Abdullahi highlighted ongoing issues, including stunting and poor dietary diversity, that require targeted, well-funded action.
He noted a unique opportunity created by recent governance reforms. “With the opportunities presented by the evolving local government autonomy framework, LGAs now have the power to invest directly in the well-being of their communities,” Abdullahi said. “Nutrition should therefore be seen not as a cost but as a strategic investment that produces significant returns in education, health, productivity, and economic growth.”
Earlier, Mrs. Celestina Anyim, Kaduna State Coordinator for CS-SUNN, outlined the main goals of the meeting. She explained that the dialogue aimed to review current nutrition indicators across all 23 LGAs, address critical financing challenges at the grassroots, and establish a sustainable framework for localized nutrition investments.
“Safeguarding these investments is essential to securing the state’s future human capital and long-term economic growth,” she added.
The event received strong political commitments from local leaders. Hon. Dauda Manakin, representing the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), praised Kaduna’s leadership in nutrition initiatives across Northern Nigeria. He commended Governor Uba Sani’s administration and the Ministry of Local Government Affairs for their ongoing commitment to reducing malnutrition.
Hon. Manakin highlighted local efforts, noting that councils provide monthly financial support to assist local health officials.
He emphasized the importance of accountability, calling for measures to ensure nutrition commodities reach vulnerable women and children without diversion. He also assured stakeholders that Kaduna’s LGA chairpersons remain dedicated to ending malnutrition and challenged civil society groups like CS-SUNN to amplify public health messages.
Traditional leaders also pledged support. The District Head of Makera in Kaduna South LGA, and Chitoman Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Tijjani, conveyed goodwill messages, aligning with the government’s health and nutrition goals. He vowed to use traditional structures to promote community awareness and participation.
A key highlight was a presentation by CS-SUNN titled “Why Local Government Financing Matters and The Role of LGAs in Scaling up Nutrition,” along with a data-focused session by Mallam Lema, Director of Budget at the Ministry of Local Government Affairs.
Mallam Lema explained current budget allocations for local nutrition programs and outlined practical steps to institutionalize dedicated, ring-fenced budget lines to expand community nutrition, maternal care, and child growth monitoring.
The event concluded with the creation and adoption of a comprehensive communiqué signed by all stakeholders. This document outlines specific commitments to improve financing, promote transparency, and strengthen multisectoral accountability mechanisms for nutrition initiatives across Kaduna State’s LGAs.
