Vice President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria loses an estimated $56 billion annually; about 12.2% of its national income, due to the devastating effects of malnutrition on human capital development.
Shettima, represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Mrs Uju Rochas-Anwukah, spoke Thursday at the Conference on Mobilising Against Malnutrition in North-West Nigeria, held in Abuja and hosted by the Katsina State Government in partnership with the North-West Governors’ Forum, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and the Office of the Vice President.
He stressed that the figures reflect more than an economic cost, but “lost potential, unfulfilled dreams, and a cycle of poverty that undermines development,” noting that thousands of Nigerian children and pregnant women die yearly from malnutrition-related causes while millions suffer stunted growth and impaired cognitive development.
“When a nation’s child suffers from stunted growth, its future becomes stunted,” he said, describing nutrition investments as strategic and high-yielding. “For every dollar spent on nutrition, the return is $23,” he added, calling for urgent action beyond awareness campaigns.
The Vice President cited federal initiatives such as the Nutrition 774 programme and the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRIN 2.0) project, anchored on political leadership, sustainable financing, multi-sectoral collaboration, accountability, and data-driven planning.
Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umar Radda, described malnutrition in the North-West as a public emergency threatening future generations. He disclosed that the state has invested over ₦40 billion in healthcare, renovated 261 primary health centres, recruited nearly 3,000 health workers, contributed ₦1 billion to the Child Nutrition Fund — matched by UNICEF — and distributed 90,000 bags of grain to vulnerable families.
Radda added that Katsina is establishing a local Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) factory and implementing six-month maternity leave to boost child health outcomes.
Health Minister, Prof. Ali Pate, represented by Director of Nutrition Mrs Ladidi Bako-Aiyegbusi, said malnutrition rates in the North-West exceed emergency levels and confirmed the establishment of 115 new treatment sites nationwide. He called for shared responsibility across government, donors, civil society, and communities.
Recent data showed stunting figures in the region range from 40.7% in Kebbi to 64.6% in Katsina, costing over ₦1 trillion in regional GDP losses annually.
MSF Country Representative, Dr Ahmed Aldikhari, revealed that the organisation treated nearly 300,000 children for severe acute malnutrition in northern Nigeria in 2024 — more than half of MSF’s global caseload — underscoring the urgency of coordinated action amid rising food insecurity and healthcare gaps.
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