Writing By Aminu Dalhatu; Editing By Godwin Duru
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Office of the Vice President, Mrs. Uju Rochas Anwukah, has led a high-powered government delegation to Zamfara State to strengthen collaboration on the implementation of the Nutrition 774 Initiative, a key component of the Federal Government’s efforts to combat malnutrition across the country.
The delegation comprised representatives from the Office of the Vice President, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), UNICEF, the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, and other development partners.
Speaking during the visit, Mrs. Anwukah said the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, directed the team to engage state governments on strategies to reduce malnutrition and improve child health nationwide.
She explained that the Nutrition 774 Initiative was conceived as a flagship programme under the Renewed Hope Agenda, designed to address the devastating impact of malnutrition on children and vulnerable groups.
According to her, the initiative aims to strengthen existing structures, mobilize all 774 local government areas, and ensure that communities and traditional institutions drive nutrition awareness and action at the grassroots.
“Malnutrition is not just a health issue, it is a national development challenge, It weakens human capital, reduces workforce productivity, and undermines our nation’s economic growth.
“When a child or household is malnourished, the entire community suffers. This is why we must treat malnutrition as a national emergency.”
She revealed that Nigeria currently ranks number one in Africa and number two globally for malnutrition, a situation she described as unacceptable, given the country’s vast human and natural resources.
Mrs. Anwukah emphasized the need for improved data collection and reporting on nutrition in Zamfara to guide policy decisions and track progress effectively.
She explained that the Nutrition 774 Initiative focuses on five key sectors including Health, Food Systems, Education, Social Protection, and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH).
Under the Health sector, she highlighted interventions such as Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN), exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and immunization.
In the Food Systems sector, she encouraged home gardening and household seedling distribution to promote self-sufficiency and access to nutrient-rich foods, alongside large-scale food fortification and post-harvest loss reduction.
On Education, she disclosed plans to integrate nutrition education into school curricula and strengthen the national school feeding programme.
She also commended the Zamfara State Government for empowering over 25,000 women through cash transfers, urging that such interventions be made conditional to ensure sustainability and impact.
For the WASH sector, she stressed the importance of expanding access to clean water and sanitation facilities to complement nutrition outcomes.
Presenting key recommendations to Governor Dauda Lawal, Mrs. Anwukah called for the establishment of a State Council on Nutrition, the appointment of a nutrition focal person in the Governor’s Office, and the selection of pilot Local Government Areas , one from each senatorial zone to implement the Nutrition 774 programme.
Other recommendations included, timely release of funds for nutrition programmes, approval of six months maternity leave and two weeks paternity leave to promote exclusive breastfeeding, recruitment of qualified nutrition experts across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs)
Others are establishment of nutrition excellence centres in each senatorial zone using upgraded primary healthcare centres as one-stop facilities for health care, food demonstration, and community nutrition training.
“Continued partnership with UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other donors through the Child Nutrition Match Fund (CNF).
According to her, nuutrition is an investment in children and in Nigeria’s future.
In his response, Governor Dauda Lawal commended the delegation for their visit and described the Nutrition 774 Initiative as timely and essential to the health and economic growth of Zamfara State.
“We cannot build a secure, resilient, and prosperous Zamfara on the foundation of poor nutrition,” the Governor said.
Dr Lawal explained that the initiative aligns perfectly with his administration’s Rescue Agenda, especially declaring state of emergency in the health and education sectors.
He highlighted ongoing reforms in the state’s health system, including the rehabilitation of hospitals, expansion of primary healthcare coverage, and collaboration with UNICEF and other partners to tackle malnutrition.
“When we assumed office, many of our hospitals were in deplorable condition. Today, we are changing that narrative through sustained investments and partnerships that prioritize maternal and child health,” he stated.
Governor Lawal formally announced the establishment of the Zamfara State Council on Nutrition, with a mandate to coordinate all nutrition-related activities and ensure effective implementation of the Nutrition 774 Initiative across the state’s 14 local government areas.
He assured that the state government will continue to allocate and release counterpart funds for nutrition projects, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and collaboration with development partners.
“We appreciate the Office of the Vice President for this initiative. Together, we will ensure that no child in Zamfara suffers from preventable malnutrition,” the Governor concluded.
COV/AMINU DALHATU
