Nigeria has emerged as the second-worst country globally in malnutrition, trailing only behind a yet-to-be-named nation, according to startling revelations made by Uju Anwukah, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Public Health. Speaking on Wednesday at a national summit on nutrition and food security, Anwukah declared that Nigeria holds the unfortunate position of first in Africa and second globally on the malnutrition index — a ranking that continues to cast a shadow over the country’s developmental ambitions.
The summit, organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Nutrition, focused on scaling nutrition interventions across the nation under the “N-774 initiative,” a federal government strategy aimed at combating food insecurity at the grassroots level.
Anwukah explained that the N-774 initiative had gained endorsement from the National Council on Food Security and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, highlighting the administration’s urgency in coordinating efforts to combat nutrition-related issues in all 774 local governments.
Echoing similar concerns, the Chairman of the House Committee on Food and Nutrition, Hon. Chike Okafor, provided further insight into the devastating economic toll of malnutrition index in Nigeria. He said the country loses an estimated $1.5 billion annually due to malnutrition, while the cumulative cost of inaction stands at a staggering $56 billion — approximately 12.2% of the nation’s Gross National Income (GNI), based on estimates from the World Bank and Nutrition International.
Okafor also noted that Nigeria suffers approximately $2 billion in post-harvest losses every year, a figure disclosed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). He lamented that this loss surpasses the combined nutrition budgets of the Ministries of Agriculture, Health, Education, and Women Affairs.
“This colossal waste is not only unacceptable but entirely unsustainable given the austere economic times in which we live,” Okafor stated.
To reverse the alarming trend, Okafor said his committee is engaging with all 36 states to build strategic capacity around nutrition and food security. He noted that the House is partnering with the National Institute for Democratic and Legislative Studies (NIDLS) and international development partners to conduct regular training and knowledge-sharing sessions.
“Once you’re not informed, you’re deformed,” he said, emphasizing the importance of well-informed policymaking to ensure effective oversight of nutrition-related interventions.
He added that institutionalising these capacity-building sessions would place lawmakers in a better position to scrutinise food and nutrition policies and funding from both government and international partners — including the United Nations, World Bank, and NGOs.
Okafor stressed that the goal is not just “more money for nutrition” but also “more nutrition for the available money.”
Nigeria’s malnutrition crisis is particularly pronounced among children under five, with millions suffering from stunting, wasting, and underweight conditions. According to the 2024 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), 37% of Nigerian children under five are stunted, while 7% suffer from wasting — rates far above the World Health Organization’s emergency thresholds.
Anwukah’s comments also come amid rising inflation and worsening poverty, which experts say have contributed to food insecurity and low nutritional outcomes for Nigerian families, particularly in the northern region where malnutrition rates are highest.
The latest revelation underscores the urgent need for Nigeria to overhaul its food and nutrition systems, invest in sustainable agriculture, and prioritise child nutrition in national policy. With economic losses running into billions and the health of future generations at stake, stakeholders agree that coordinated, data-driven, and well-funded interventions are Nigeria’s best hope to reverse its alarming position on the global malnutrition index.