The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised alarm regarding the deepening crisis of food and nutrition insecurity in Nigeria, with particular concern for several states, including Lagos, Borno, Katsina, Kaduna, Jigawa, and Kano.
It noted that Nigeria currently faces a distressing reality, with approximately one million citizens grappling with acute food insecurity, while a staggering 17.7 million Nigerians endure the pangs of hunger. Without immediate action, this dire situation could engulf 25 million individuals.
Drawing from the Cadre Harmonisé report, UNICEF’s assessment has unveiled the alarming scale of the problem, indicating that a total of 17.6 million Nigerians across 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are currently caught in the grip of food and nutrition insecurity.
Delving deeper into the statistics, the report highlights the five states bearing the brunt of this crisis between March and May this year: Lagos (1,596,099), Borno (1,553,499), Katsina (1,314,123), Kaduna (1,222,929), Jigawa (1,063,633), and Kano (1,006,542).
The plea was made during a media dialogue on child malnutrition in Port-Harcourt Rivers State, to both Federal and State Governments to significantly boost domestic funding allocated to nutrition programs nationwide, with a specific emphasis on children. This financial commitment is deemed essential not only for their immediate well-being but also for the long-term socio-economic contributions they can make to society.
Geoffrey Njoku, UNICEF’s Communication Specialist, stressed the urgency of addressing this critical situation, stating, “We confront a severe nutrition crisis in Nigeria, particularly among children. While UNICEF and our partners diligently work towards resolving this issue, the government’s financial contribution remains inadequate.”
Najaatu Hassan, Head of the Child Rights Information Department of the Federal Ministry of Information, echoed the call for increased government funding. She affirmed, “Through media campaigns, we have made strides in the nutrition sector, but our work is far from finished. We implore the Federal Government to allocate more resources towards children’s nutrition, securing their future. Our aim is to eradicate malnutrition and shift our focus to other facets of child survival.”
Nkeiru Enwelum, Nutrition Officer at UNICEF, emphasized the significance of the first 1,000 days of a child’s life and the pivotal role of exclusive breastfeeding. She explained, “Out of Nigeria’s 35 million children under five years old, 12 million suffer from stunting, and 3 million experience wasting. Nigeria currently holds the top rank in Africa and second globally in terms of malnourished children.”
Enwelum emphasized the need for Nigeria to allocate increased financial resources to healthcare and implement robust accountability and transparency mechanisms. She also underscored the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the initial six months of an infant’s life, which plays a crucial role in their physical and mental growth and development.