The Kaduna State Government has stepped up efforts to tackle malnutrition through stronger grassroots mobilisation, community ownership and increased investment in nutrition interventions.
The initiative was highlighted during a high-level stakeholders’ engagement with the wife of the governor, Hajiya Hafsat Uba Sani, which brought together the spouses of the 23 Local Government Area chairmen.
The meeting focused on strengthening grassroots nutrition interventions and promoting women’s leadership in efforts to improve nutrition outcomes across the state.
The Commissioner for Planning and Budget Commission, Mukhtar Ahmed, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to achieving zero malnutrition, stressing that nutrition remained central to the future of Kaduna.
The engagement also secured legislative backing, with the Chairman of the House Committee on Food and Nutrition Security, Jessy David, and the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Shehu Yunusa, pledging support for adequate provision for nutrition interventions in the 2027 budget.
The lawmakers’ commitment is expected to strengthen funding for programmes aimed at improving nutrition outcomes, particularly among women and children.
The UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Dr Gerida Birukila, represented at the meeting by Nutrition Specialist Chinwe Ezeife, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to nutrition services.
UNICEF’s support forms part of broader efforts to strengthen nutrition interventions at the community level and ensure vulnerable groups benefit from available services.
The Coordinator of Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria, Celestina Ayim, also stressed the need to prioritise nutrition among women and children in Kaduna State and beyond.
The stakeholders’ engagement brought together government officials, legislators, development partners, civil society representatives and spouses of local government chairmen as part of efforts to deepen community participation in tackling malnutrition.
The state government said stronger grassroots mobilisation and community ownership would be key to sustaining nutrition interventions and improving outcomes across Kaduna’s 23 local government areas.
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