In Nigeria, the levels of undernutrition and prevalence of stunting fell significantly between 2000 and 2016. However, given Nigeria’s high population, the number of people who continue to suffer from malnutrition is high. Overweight and obesity are also on the rise, indicating that Nigeria is facing a growing prevalence of the double burden of malnutrition. How is Nigeria addressing its own hunger and nutrition challenges? What are the innovations, successes and opportunities being implemented? What lessons can Nigeria learn from other African countries? Dr Adebimpi Adebiyi, Director Director/Head, Department of Family Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Nigeria describes the policy, programmatic and institutional changes implemented to address hunger and nutrition challenges in Nigeria.

1. OVERVIEW OF
NUTRITION SITUATION IN
NIGERIA
MAY, 2018
Dr. Adebimpe Adebiyi,mni
Director/Head, Department of Family
Health,
Federal Ministry of Health,
Abuja, Nigeria

2. Country Context
• Three Tiers of Government Made up of 36
States and 774 LGAs
• Population: 186 million (2016)
• Capital: Abuja
• Major languages: Hausa; Igbo; Yoruba
• Official language: English
• MMR: 576/100,000 live births
• U5MR: 128 per 1,000 live births
Nigeria

3. Outline
• Background
• Policies and enabling environment
• Plans and Strategies
• Current Situation: Opportunities/Linkages/Challenges
• Conclusion

4. BACKGROUND
• Levels of under-nutrition were reduced between 2000
and 2016. The Global Hunger Index decreased from 41
to 26 (equivalent to a 38 percent change) and the
prevalence of stunting decreased from 40 percent to 33
percent over the same period.

5. BACKGROUND cont’d….
• Institutional and programmatic reforms, such the creation of
the Nutrition and Food Safety Division in the Federal Ministry
of Agriculture and the implementation of cost-effective,
evidence-based nutrition interventions by the Nutrition
Division in the Department of Family Health, Federal Ministry
of Health contributed to improvements in the overall nutrition
situation.

6. ENABLING ENVIRONMENT
• National Committee on Food and Nutrition, situated in the
Ministry of Budget and National Planning, was created to
coordinate and provide leadership.
• Nutrition and Food Safety Division was created in the Ministry
of Agriculture
• Nutrition Division was created within the Department of
Family Health in the Ministry of Health in 2008
• National Council on Nutrition was established in 2017

7. Nigeria – National Level Policies and Plans - well aligned with Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs)
Good alignment
with SDGs

8. POLICIES, PLANS AND STRATEGIES
• The National Food and Nutrition Policy
• National Plan of Action on Food and Nutrition
• National Strategic Plan of Action for Nutrition
• Bio-fortification of staple foods

9. POLICIES, PLANS AND STRATEGIES
• Budgeting for Nutrition: on-going efforts to introduce a budget
line dedicated to nutrition in line ministries at the national and
state levels.
• Nutrition-specific Interventions: CMAM, De-worming, Vitamin
A Supplementation
• Reporting Tools and Data Management: Rapid SMS reporting
Tools launched

10. CURRENT SITUATION: Opportunities/Linkages

11. CURRENT SITUATION: Opportunities/Linkages
• Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) Project is
being developed through the Federal Ministry of Health in
collaboration with the World Bank Group to bridge the
financing gap in the costed National Strategic Plan of Action for
Nutrition (NSPAN) in addressing the malnutrition challenge in
Nigeria.

12. CURRENT SITUATION: Opportunities/Linkages
• Nigeria’s spending on Agriculture falls short of the
commitment set out in the Malabo Declaration (10 percent of
public spending), while spending in the health sector does not
yet fully meet the 15-percent commitment set out in the Abuja
Declaration.

13. CURRENT SITUATION: Opportunities/Linkages
• Strengthened strategic partnership with UNICEF
• Signing a Memorandum of Understanding
• Increasing government’s commitment to the
treatment of severely acutely malnourished
children especially in the north-eastern region of
Nigeria.

14. HOME GROWN SCHOOL FEEDING
One Program, Four Benefits
Improve school
enrollment
and
completion
Improved child
nutrition and
health
Increasing local
agricultural
productions
Creating jobs
and improving
family and state
economy
This will curb the current drop out rate from
primary school estimated at 30% and also
reduce child labour.
As a result of poverty many children
have poor nutrition and health status,
which affects learning outcomes- the
program aims to address this.
This will not only increase
production but it provides
a structured demand for
agricultural produce.
Multiplier effect
for economic
growth
4
1
2
3
4

15. CONCLUSION
• To accelerate progress in the improvement of health and
nutrition outcomes in Nigeria, interventions through health,
agricultural and private sectors need to be sustained and
scaled up.

16. THANK YOU