The Nutrition 774 Initiative Strategy Board has approved a domestic financing framework aimed at addressing Nigeria’s estimated ₦500 billion nutrition funding shortfall and reducing dependence on dwindling international donor support.
The decision was reached on Wednesday during the board’s second strategic meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
As part of the new funding strategy, the board directed the Federal Ministry of Finance and relevant stakeholders to begin consultations on activating existing funding mechanisms, including the Presidential Nutrition Intervention Fund (PNIF) and the earmarked Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) levy, to provide sustainable financing for nutrition programmes nationwide.
📢 Stay Updated — Join Our WhatsApp Channel
💬 Be Part of Our WhatsApp Community
Join our WhatsApp Channel for curated updates, breaking stories, and exclusive insights from our newsroom.
📲 Join 👉 NRTC WhatsApp Channel
Shettima also instructed the 26 states to establish State Councils on Nutrition to do so without delay in order to strengthen nutrition governance across the country.
Shettima said Nigeria must take deliberate steps to close the ₦500 billion funding gap through local financing options, warning that declining global aid means the country can no longer rely heavily on external support to fund critical nutrition interventions.
READ ALSO: ICYMI: FG approves N77,000 monthly allowance for corps members
To strengthen implementation at the grassroots level, he urged the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) to work together in setting up Local Government Committees on Food and Nutrition in the remaining 304 local government areas where they have yet to be established.
The board reaffirmed the Nutrition 774 Initiative as the primary platform for delivering nutrition programmes across all 774 local government areas of the federation.
On the proposed National Nutrition Bill, Shettima directed the board’s secretariat to engage lawmakers, state governments and development partners to gather input before the legislation is presented to the National Assembly.
He stressed that tackling malnutrition requires collaboration across multiple sectors.
He noted that the agriculture sector plays a critical role in food availability and quality, while ministries responsible for finance, budget and economic planning must ensure timely release of approved funds.
He also highlighted the importance of education, water resources, women’s affairs and humanitarian services in promoting nutrition awareness, prevention and social protection.
Shettima called on private sector operators to view nutrition as a key investment in national productivity and urged civil society groups to continue holding stakeholders accountable for delivering results.
According to him, President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda places human capital development at the centre of national progress, with proper nutrition serving as a foundation for economic growth and social development.
He said the administration considers nutrition security a priority and remains committed to implementing policies that improve the wellbeing of Nigerians, particularly children.
READ ALSO: 2027: Shettima submits Tinubu’s nomination forms
The meeting was attended by senior government officials, including Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Chairman of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security Chike Okafor, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Ali Pate, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Women Affairs Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim and Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning Doris Uzoka-Anite.
The Ministers of Education and Water Resources, Tunji Alausa and Joseph Ustev, respectively, participated virtually.
