Nigeria’s 36 state governors have committed to stronger action against malnutrition, including a proposed National Nutrition Intervention Fund and a coordinated planning framework for the Nutrition 774 Initiative.
The commitments were presented in Addis Ababa by Zamfara State governor Dauda Lawal on behalf of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum after a three day leadership exchange in Ethiopia. The Nigerian delegation, led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, examined lessons from Ethiopia’s Seqota Declaration and related nutrition programmes.
Lawal said the governors intended to strengthen political leadership, financing and coordination across health, agriculture, education and other sectors that influence nutrition. The proposed framework would align government activity around a common goal, plan and budget, while giving local communities a stronger role in determining priorities.
The governors pledged to support the creation of a National Nutrition Intervention Fund intended to encourage state investment, reward implementation and finance interventions with measurable results. The announcement described a commitment to establish the fund, not evidence that it had already begun disbursing money.
They also proposed extending nutrition performance scorecards from the state level to local governments and wards, supported by surveys and routine data to guide spending and identify gaps. Lawal referred to the Nutrition Compact signed by representatives of the federal, state and local government tiers on February 20, 2025.
National Primary Health Care Development Agency chief Muyi Aina said federal agencies planned to begin targeted interventions in two states with severe child stunting challenges before expanding to other areas. He proposed periodic reviews after three, six and nine months to assess progress and adjust implementation.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Ali Pate said the government would work with states to translate the exchange’s lessons into practical programmes, with updates reported through the National Council on Nutrition.
Ethiopia’s health minister, Mekdes Daba, welcomed the initiative and offered technical cooperation, emphasizing that sustained measurement and adjustment would be essential to turn political declarations into improvements for families and children.
