•Calls for Unified Action through Nutrition 774 Initiative
By Christiana Ekpa
Vice President Kashim Shettima has decried the impact of malnutrition on Nigerian children, stating that it robbed about 40 percent of children under five of their physical and cognitive potential.
He said the Federal Government has introduced the Nutrition 774 Initiative, a grassroots-focused framework aimed at addressing the nutrition crisis in underserved communities across the country.
Shettima, represented by Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), made this known at the National Summit on Nutrition and Food Security organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, as part of the House’s Open Week activities.
He noted that under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, nutrition has been repositioned as a core component of the national development strategy. The Nutrition 774 Initiative, already endorsed by the National Council on Nutrition, reflects the government’s renewed commitment to tackling malnutrition through a localized, accountable, and inclusive approach.
The Vice President, who is also the Chairman of the National Council on Nutrition, emphasized the role of the initiative in mobilizing political will, ensuring sustainable funding, enhancing collaboration across all levels of government, and promoting accountability.
He acknowledged the contributions of development partners, including the World Bank, UNICEF, Médecins Sans Frontières, GAIN, and Nutrition International, for their ongoing interventions in nutrition, but stressed the need to move away from fragmented efforts towards a unified national strategy. According to him, only alignment with a single framework, clear accountability, and collective action can ensure meaningful impact.
The Vice President also called for adequate and consistent budgetary allocations for nutrition, strengthened legislative oversight focused on outcomes, and the transformation of nutrition from a charitable concern to a matter of national justice.
In his remark, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, warned that malnutrition is costing Nigeria approximately 12.2 percent of its Gross National Income an estimated $56 billion annually. Post-harvest losses, he added, account for an additional $2 billion per year, underscoring the need for urgent reforms.
The Speaker stated that the Committee on Nutrition and Food Security is collaborating with all 36 states to move beyond policy declarations to on-the-ground implementation. This includes capacity-building and multi-sectoral consultations aimed at strengthening systemic responses to nutrition challenges.
He highlighted Nigeria’s potential to lead in food production across the continent, noting the importance of integrating nutrition-sensitive programs into federal and state budgets.
Abbas also raised concerns over multiple levies imposed on food transportation, which increase prices and contribute to food insecurity. He emphasized the need for development partners to operate within transparent and accountable frameworks, and called for legislative oversight of external loans secured for nutrition programs.
