By Comfort Akor
Abuja, Nigeria — November 6, 2025:
Leaders from the federal and state governments, alongside international humanitarian partners, have reaffirmed their commitment to combating the growing malnutrition crisis ravaging children in Nigeria’s northwest region.
The declaration came during a high-level conference themed “Mobilizing Against Malnutrition in Northwest Nigeria,” held on Thursday at the Lake Greenfield Hotel, Abuja. The event, convened by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Doctors Without Borders brought together top government officials, representatives of the United Nations, NGOs, and development partners.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by Mrs. Uju Vanastasia Anwukah, described hunger and malnutrition as “a silent national tragedy” and “the greatest test of our collective humanity.”
“There is no more sacred duty of governance than ensuring that no child goes to bed hungry,” she said, adding that investing in nutrition is not a cost but “the most strategic investment in the future of our nation.”
Shettima’s message highlighted the economic toll of malnutrition, noting that Nigeria loses an estimated $56 billion in human capital annually, equivalent to 12.2% of its national income.
“Every dollar invested in nutrition yields a return of $23. This is one of the highest returns for any development intervention,” he emphasized.
The Governor of Katsina State, Dr. Umar Dikko Radda, in his remarks, announced extensive health reforms and interventions aimed at addressing the root causes of malnutrition in his state and across the Northwest.
He revealed that over ₦40 billion was invested in 2024 to upgrade healthcare facilities, with a further ₦500 billion contributed to the National Child Nutrition Fund to strengthen nutrition-sensitive interventions.
“The fight against malnutrition is not just about statistics it is about saving lives and unlocking the potential of our children,” Radda said. “We have trained over 1,000 health workers and hundreds of women to produce local nutritional feeds as part of our accelerated nutrition results program.”
MSF’s Country Representative, Dr. Ahmed Aldikhari, described Nigeria as the epicentre of the global child malnutrition burden.
“In 2024 alone, MSF treated nearly 300,000 children with severe acute malnutrition across northern Nigeria more than half of all our admissions worldwide,” he disclosed.
Dr. Aldikhari commended the Nigerian government for declaring malnutrition a national emergency in March 2025, calling for stronger partnerships and coordinated action among all stakeholders.
The conference concluded with a joint call to scale up treatment, strengthen preventive nutrition programs, and enhance intersectoral collaboration between the federal, state, and international agencies.
