…as FG moves to tackle malnutrition crisis
The federal government has reaffirmed its commitment to addressing Nigeria’s growing malnutrition crisis, which manifests in undernutrition, overnutrition, and widespread micronutrient deficiencies.
The government said its firm resolve is driven by the reality that malnutrition undermines the health, productivity, and economic potential of Nigerians, particularly women and children
Speaking at a nutrition roundtable organized by Nigeria Health Watch in Abuja on Thursday, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, emphasized the urgency of coordinated action.
Represented by the Director of Nutrition, Ladidi Bako-Aiyegbusi, Kachollom warned that micronutrient deficiencies impair cognitive development, reduce workforce productivity, and heighten maternal and child mortality.
“Nigeria faces a triple burden of malnutrition: undernutrition, overnutrition, and hidden hunger. Our diets, dominated by calorie-dense but nutrient-poor staples like cassava, maize, and rice, leave millions without the vitamins and minerals needed to thrive,” she said.
Citing the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, Kachollom revealed that stunting affects 40 percent of children under five, while wasting stands at eight percent and underweight at 27 percent.
The 2021 National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey also reported alarming levels of vitamin A, zinc, and iron deficiencies among children, adolescent girls, and pregnant women.
“Nearly 80 percent of Nigerians face food insecurity,” she added, linking the crisis to inflation, flooding, and conflict, which have disrupted farming and livelihoods.
According to her, since 1993, Nigeria has adopted Large-Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) to combat hidden hunger by enriching staple foods with essential nutrients.
Kachollom noted that progress has been made, with salt iodization reaching about 95 percent and significant improvements in the fortification of wheat flour, sugar, and vegetable oil.
However, she lamented that compliance remains uneven, particularly among small- and medium-sized food businesses, due to weak enforcement, limited awareness, and high costs of imported premix ingredients.
“While local blending plants exist, heavy reliance on imported raw materials inflates costs, exposes us to currency volatility, and undermines public trust,” she said.
To strengthen LSFF, she said the government is scaling up rice fortification, exploring bouillon cubes as cost-effective carriers of iron, zinc, and folic acid, and encouraging the consumption of branded fortified edible oil.
In addition, the Permanent Secretary added that the government is also working closely with private-sector players to improve premix access, establish digital traceability systems, and guarantee the safety and nutritional quality of fortified foods.
In her remarks, Vivianne Ihekweazu, Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, stressed that malnutrition in Nigeria is not only about insufficient calories but also about hidden hunger from nutrient deficiencies.
Ihekweazu, who was represented by Deputy Director of Advocacy and Partnerships, Safiya Isah, noted that the overreliance on calorie-rich staples has left communities vulnerable, with inconsistent compliance in fortification practices exacerbating the problem.
“Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises are key players in our food system, but they often struggle to afford premixes, access financing, and maintain quality standards.
This results in fortified foods that frequently do not meet nutrient requirements,” she said.
She also highlighted Nigeria’s dependence on imported premix ingredients, which has driven up costs and exposed the nation to global supply disruptions.
“To safeguard nutrition and health, we must strengthen local solutions, from building domestic premix production capacity to supporting MSMEs and ensuring stricter enforcement of fortification standards,” she added.
The roundtable, Ihekweazu explained, aims to attract investment, encourage innovation, and build partnerships to transform Nigeria’s food fortification system.
In her technical presentation, Bako-Aiyegbusi underscored that while some nutritional indicators have improved since 2001, deficiencies remain at concerning levels.
Represented by Ummulkhaire Bobboi, the Deputy Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Bako-Aiyegbusi outlined the benefits of fortification in reducing anemia, goitre, neural tube defects, and child mortality, while driving economic productivity.
Addressing Nigeria’s malnutrition challenge requires a multi-sectoral approach, she argued, adding, “Government, regulators, private sector actors, academia, civil society, and international partners must collaborate to build a robust fortification ecosystem”.
Bako-Aiyegbusi, during the panel discussion, urged private sector players to “step up their game” and contribute their quota to ongoing repositioning of Nigeria’s food fortification agenda through competitive initiatives that rival foreign counterparts.
She expressed concern that, despite two decades of implementation of Large Scale Food Fortification, local Manufacturers are yet to demonstrate strong leadership in domestication of Food Fortification effort.
She highlighted several ongoing initiatives, including the recent review of the National Industrial Standard on Fortification which is awaiting Council approval.
She also revealed that eight laboratories have been identified for testing of Premixes.
Bako-Aiyegbusi further outlined a comprehensive package of incentives designed to support local manufacturers and boost compliance with fortification standards.
These include Pioneer status incentive (PSI) with up to five year subject to review after 3 years corporate income tax relief, tax deductions of
Zero (0%) percent import duty (ID) on plants and Mechinery costs, reduced import taxes on raw materials, and VAT exemptions under the VAT Modification Order.
Manufacturers, she said, can also access a 15 percent post-shipment cash rebate, reduced withholding tax for compliant companies, and up to 120 percent tax deductions for research and development expenses.
In addition, facilities from BOI are available for manufacturing Industries at low-interest to encourage greater investment in the sector.
“Government is intentional and has made these provisions. It is now up to local producers to access the support, and if there are challenges, it should be brought to the table for discussion and joint identification of solutions,” she said, emphasizing that the government in collaboration with Stakeholders has championed food fortification for over 20 years.
She questioned why, despite this long-standing commitment, local manufacturers have not fully embraced efforts to build domestic capacity.
“We agreed years ago with producers to develop local capacity in the production of Premix, but why is it that this has not been achieved despite the fact that Government is carrying out its responsibilities. She called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to meet Nigeria’s nutrition goals.
Public health experts, government regulators, and industry stakeholders at the panel discussion also agreed that sustainable solutions require localized innovation, strengthened regulatory oversight, and increased investment in nutrition-sensitive food systems.
