Shettima, govs move to tackle malnutrition

Nigeria has pledged to bolster its efforts to combat malnutrition by adopting Ethiopia's strategies in financing nutrition, intergovernmental coordination, and community-level interventions. Vice President Kashim Shettima, who led a delegation to the Ethiopia-Nigeria Nutrition Leadership Exchange Forum in Addis Ababa, said the insights gained would be instrumental in implementing the Nigeria Nutrition 774 (N774) Initiative.

The N774 Initiative aims to enhance nutrition outcomes across Nigeria's 774 local government areas. The delegation included state governors, commissioners, and officials from various federal ministries. Shettima emphasized the importance of improving coordination among federal, state, and local governments to ensure that nutrition interventions reach those most in need.

He stressed the significance of sustainable financing, accountability, and effective implementation at the subnational level, highlighting that improved nutrition is crucial for human capital development, productivity, and economic growth. Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State expressed optimism that Nigeria could make strides by learning from Ethiopia's experience in tackling similar challenges, particularly insecurity, which has adversely affected food production and access.

Lawal stressed that Nigeria's National Nutrition 774 Initiative already embodies several principles observed in Ethiopia but offered practical lessons for enhancing implementation and achieving measurable results.