The Federal Government on Thursday warned that Nigeria is battling a “triple burden” of malnutrition, with millions of citizens suffering from undernutrition, overnutrition, and severe micronutrient deficiencies.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, disclosed this in Abuja at the Nigeria Health Watch Roundtable, themed “Fortifying Nigeria’s Future: Strengthening Nutrition through Local Solutions.”
Represented by the Director of Nutrition, Ladidi Bako-Aiyegbusi, Ms Kachollom said the country’s worsening food crisis had left children, adolescent girls, and pregnant women most vulnerable.
“Micronutrient deficiencies impair cognitive development, reduce productivity, and increase maternal and child mortality,” she said.
Citing the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, the ministry revealed that 40 per cent of children under five are stunted, 27 per cent underweight, while wasting stands at eight per cent.
The 2021 National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey further showed that 79 per cent of Nigerians are food insecure, with alarming rates of vitamin A, zinc, and iron deficiencies among children and women.
According to her, the problem is worsened by inflation, flooding, and conflicts that continue to disrupt farming and food production.
Kachollom identified Large-Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) as a proven tool in tackling micronutrient deficiencies, noting that Nigeria had recorded 95 per cent salt iodisation and significant progress in fortifying wheat flour, sugar, and vegetable oil.
However, she lamented weak compliance among Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), largely due to poor enforcement, low awareness, and high costs of imported premix materials.
In her paper titled “Addressing the Fortification Gap: Strengthening Local Systems to Scale Impact and Save Lives,” Bako-Aiyegbusi, represented by Mrs Ummulkhaire Bobboi of NAFDAC, urged government and private sector players to strengthen local premix production and adopt digital traceability tools to monitor compliance.
“Despite sound policies, Nigeria still faces a significant gap between nutrition targets and outcomes. Stronger regulations, local investment, and multi-stakeholder collaboration are urgently required,” she said.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, Vivianne Ihekweazu, represented by the Deputy Director of Advocacy, Safiya Isa, said inconsistent compliance—especially among MSMEs—was undermining Nigeria’s fortification drive.
“Many small businesses struggle with financing, access to premixes, and reliable quality control systems, which often leads to substandard fortified foods,” she said.
Ihekweazu stressed the need for stronger local solutions, adding that sustainable fortification strategies could save lives, reduce healthcare costs, and boost national productivity.
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