Vice President Kashim Shettima has sounded the alarm over the alarming rate of malnutrition in Nigeria, revealing that nearly 40% of children under five are being deprived of their full physical and cognitive development.
Speaking at the National Summit on Nutrition and Food Security in Abuja, Shettima—represented by Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President—described the crisis as a matter of national urgency that requires immediate and collective action.
He emphasized that food insecurity goes beyond hunger, highlighting the importance of access, affordability, and cultural acceptance of nutritious food.
To address the crisis, Shettima announced the launch of the Nutrition 774 Initiative, a grassroots-oriented program approved by the National Council on Nutrition to target malnutrition in Nigeria’s most underserved communities.
He also reaffirmed that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, President Bola Tinubu’s administration has made nutrition a central focus of the country’s development strategy.
Shettima expressed gratitude to international partners, including the World Bank, UNICEF, Médecins Sans Frontières, and Nutrition International, for supporting Nigeria’s efforts in advancing community-level nutrition programs.
