Shettima: Nigeria Ready to End Malnutrition with Nutrition 774 Initiative

Nigeria is demonstrating a robust commitment to tackling the persistent challenge of malnutrition with the introduction of the ambitious 'Nutrition 774 Initiative.' This program signifies a pragmatic and comprehensive approach, aiming to extend interventions to every corner of the nation, encompassing all 774 local government areas. Vice President Kashim Shettima highlighted that the initiative's success will be evaluated not merely by the pronouncements from the federal government, but by the tangible improvements in household outcomes across the country. This focus underscores a dedication to ensuring that no child is left behind, regardless of their location, from Yobe to Bayelsa, and Katsina to Cross River.

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It (Nutrition 774 Initiative) reminds us that the success of our nutrition reform will not be judged by federal announcements, but by co-coverage of interventions and household outcomes across all 774 local government areas.

A significant milestone in this effort is the adoption of the National Policy on Food and Nutrition (NPFN) for the period 2026-2035 by the National Council on Nutrition (NCN). This policy, developed through extensive stakeholder engagement involving both public and private sectors, now awaits ratification by the Federal Executive Council. The NPFN is designed as a multi-sectoral, evidence-based, and grassroots-oriented framework, intended to provide a legislative backbone and secure sustainable financing for nutrition programs, insulating them from the volatility of political cycles.

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From Yobe to Bayelsa, from Katsina to Cross River, from Nasarawa to Ebonyi, every Nigerian child must be seen as the face of this national assignment.

Vice President Shettima stressed the profound responsibility that lies with the council members, reminding them that their deliberations must translate into concrete actions that positively impact the lives of Nigerian mothers and children. He articulated that the nation's progress will be judged by the experiences of citizens in the 774 local government areas by 2035, rather than by decisions made today. This forward-looking perspective emphasizes the long-term vision and the critical importance of sustained effort in achieving national nutrition goals, positioning this policy as potentially the most consequential of its kind for Nigeria.

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We will be judged not by our deliberations but by our deliveries. Not by what we decided in April 2026, but by what mothers and children in the 774 local government areas experience by 2035.