The Federal Government has begun aggressive measures aimed at eradicating malnutrition, particularly among women and children, at the grassroots level in Nigeria. This effort was unveiled by the Special Assistant to the Vice President on Public Health, Uju Rochas-Anwukah, during an interview at the National Council on Nutrition (NCN) N774 Standard Operating Procedure Validation Meeting in Abuja on Friday.
The initiative, known as Nutrition 774, is a government-led, multi-sectoral effort targeting the strengthening of governance, improved financing, and enhanced political commitment to nutrition across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas. According to Rochas-Anwukah, the program is designed to scale up evidence-based interventions across key sectors, including health, education, agriculture, social protection, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).
She explained that Nutrition 774 recognizes nutrition as a collective responsibility, which should not be confined to a single ministry or sector. “It seeks to scale up evidence-based interventions across sectors such as health, education, agriculture, social protection, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH),” she said.
Rochas-Anwukah further emphasized that the initiative has been endorsed by the National Economic Council, marking it as a national priority under the current administration. This significant development led to the creation of a House Committee on Food and Nutrition at both the federal and state levels, ensuring ongoing political commitment and legislative backing for nutrition-related policies and budgets.
Acknowledging Nigeria’s cultural diversity, Rochas-Anwukah stressed that the initiative would be driven by local solutions tailored to the unique needs of each region. “Local governments will work alongside nutritional officers in each council, using centralized mechanisms to reward progress,” she added.
The Special Assistant also highlighted that the program will leverage existing structures rather than create new ones, to ensure faster and more sustainable results. She expressed gratitude to Vice President Kashim Shettima for his leadership as Chair of the National Council on Nutrition, and praised the contributions of various ministries, development partners, donor organizations, and private sector stakeholders.
“We must move from planning to action,” Rochas-Anwukah urged, stressing that the initiative is not just about protocols but about unlocking the potential of every Nigerian child and family.
Hon. Moses Essien, Chairman of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, lauded the initiative as an effective framework for standardizing food security implementation in Nigeria. However, he emphasized that successful execution would require input from the National Assembly. “The amended 1999 constitution has given enormous powers to state House of Assemblies to make laws for smooth governance, so the implementation of the national network on nutrition and food security must involve state actors,” he stated.
Essien further remarked, “My presence today as a critical stakeholder is to contribute my quota to the operational framework procedures for the implementation of the N774 initiative. We believe the involvement of state actors, like the House of Assembly, will provide an opportunity for us to contribute to the structure of the standard procedure in Nigeria.”
Dr. Osita Okonkwo, Country Director of Nutritional International, noted that the Nutrition 774 initiative presents an important opportunity for the Nigerian government to address malnutrition starting from the grassroots. He stressed the importance of community participation in tackling malnutrition, stating, “It shouldn’t be left to the government and partners alone— the entire community should be involved in addressing it.”
Okonkwo confirmed that his organization is providing technical assistance in data management, monitoring, evaluation, and policy development to help the government implement the initiative effectively. “What we are doing is supporting the government in this direction to come up with actionable plans that can be used to ensure the program is effectively implemented and scalable across all local government areas,” he explained.
He also emphasized the need for local resource mobilization and partnerships with local government areas to ensure the initiative’s success.
In a virtual address, Dr. Emeka Vitalis, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, underscored the importance of holistic implementation and accountability in Nigeria’s nutrition interventions. He stressed that good nutrition is a crucial component of economic resilience and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as good health and well-being.
“The Nutrition 774 Initiative, a flagship program of the administration led by Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, focuses on delivering sustainable nutrition interventions across all 774 local government areas (LGAs) in Nigeria,” Dr. Vitalis stated.
As Nigeria prepares for the official commencement of the Nutrition 774 initiative in the coming months, all necessary stakeholders are expected to be fully engaged in its roll-out to ensure its success.
