Shettima: 40% of Nigerian children under five are stunted by malnutrition

Vice-President Kashim Shettima says nearly 40 percent of Nigerian children under the age of five are being deprived of their physical and cognitive development due to malnutrition.

Shettima spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at the national summit on nutrition and food security.

He was represented at the event by Ibrahim Hadejia, deputy chief of staff to the president (office of the vice-president).

The vice-president said the federal government has launched the nutrition 774 initiative, a grassroots-focused programme, designed to tackle malnutrition in underserved communities.

He said the initiative, which has been approved by the national council on nutrition chaired by him, is a key part of President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda that positions nutrition as part of national development.

“The initiative is designed to have a direct impact in the most forgotten corners of our nation,” Shettima said.

“We have witnessed the establishment of the national legislative network on nutrition and food security and the replication of this committee across all 36 state houses of assembly.

“It is a reminder of the malnutrition crisis that continues to rob nearly 40 percent of Nigerian children under five of their physical and cognitive potential.

“It is a reminder that food insecurity is not only about hunger. It is also about whether our people can afford, access, and accept the food that meets their nutritional needs.

“It is about the economy. It is about education. It is about the very building blocks of human capital that this nation so urgently needs.

“At the heart of this strategy lies the Nutrition 774 Initiative. One that drives political commitment, secures sustainable financing, demands accountability, and galvanises collaboration across federal, state, and local governments.

“Its genius lies in its simplicity to empower every local government area in this country to act based on its unique needs, its cultural dynamics, and its resource realities.

“We have inaugurated the Nutrition 774 Strategic Board, a body tasked with overseeing and steering the implementation of this initiative. It includes legislators, civil society actors, and government technocrats.”

Shettima praised development partners such as the World Bank, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Médecins Sans Frontières, GAIN, and Nutrition International for supporting nutrition-related interventions across the country.

He also called on stakeholders to align with the national nutrition strategy.

“It is time to align with nutrition 774. Nigeria needs unified accountability. Anything less is a betrayal of the children who depend on us. To our distinguished legislators, this is your call to leadership,” he said.

“Budgetary allocations for nutrition must be consistent, adequate, and safeguarded. Oversight functions must transcend audits. They must measure impact. Policies must not die in chambers.

“They must live in communities. And legislation must guarantee that nutrition financing is not a matter of charity but that of justice.”