Nigeria’s Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima, has urged state governors, ministers, local government chairmen, and other stakeholders to take immediate action against malnutrition in the country.
Speaking at the launch of the Nutrition 774 Initiative at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, Shettima said the consequences of malnutrition extend beyond the health sector, affecting productivity, learning, and national growth.
“The stark statistics indicating that about 40% of Nigerian children under five are suffering from stunting, 8% from wasting, and 27% from underweight represent the faces of children whose futures are at risk even before beginning their life’s journey,” Shettima said.
He noted that the “Nutrition 774 Initiative” is a turning point in addressing malnutrition, as it focuses on grassroots impact and ensures that mothers and children across all communities have access to critical nutrition support.
‘The initiative is designed to improve coordination, financing, and accountability while adopting a multi-sectoral, community-driven approach.
“Through this initiative, every mother and child—regardless of their location—will have access to lifesaving nutrition interventions tailored to their unique needs,” Shettima explained.
He appealed to all stakeholders to take the initiative seriously, as its success “rests on collaboration and the investments we all make to sustain it.”
The Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Kwara Gov. AbdulRazaq Abdulrahman pledged the commitment and support of the state governments for the programme.
Local government chairmen and representatives of other partners also pledged their support for the initiative.
The National Economic Council (NEC) commended the Economic Management Team (EMT) priorities for 2025, noting that the country is on the right trajectory and emphasizing the need to remain focused.
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