By Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, Katsina
Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for urgent, coordinated action to tackle malnutrition across Nigeria, describing the crisis as “the greatest test of our humanity.”
Speaking at the High-Level Conference on Mobilising Against Malnutrition in Katsina and the North-West on Thursday, Shettima, represented by his Senior Special Adviser on Public Health, Mrs. Uju Vanstatia Rochas-Anwukah, said child nutrition must be treated as a national emergency.
“Governor Radda has shown leadership on many fronts. The priority being accorded to nutrition today stands as a model and a timely response to the tragedy of malnutrition we must confront together,” Shettima said.
He lamented that Nigeria loses about $56 billion annually in human capital due to malnutrition, warning that the crisis “weakens our children, limits our potential, and haunts our collective conscience.”
“When a nation’s children suffer from stunted growth, its future too becomes stunted,” he stated, adding that every dollar invested in nutrition yields a return of twenty-three dollars.
The Vice President reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to decentralising nutrition interventions through the Nutrition 774 Initiative, ensuring that “no community is left behind.”
He urged leaders, development partners, and the private sector to move beyond rhetoric.
“This conference must not end with communiqués and photographs. Let it end with commitments and timelines. The child in Dutsin-Ma, the mother in Jibia, the family in Funtua — they cannot afford our delays,” he warned.
In his remarks, Governor Dikko Umaru Radda reiterated Katsina State’s determination to end malnutrition, saying his administration has moved from “awareness to action.”
“We gather not merely to discuss a problem, but to confront an emergency that threatens the very foundation of our future — our children,” Radda said.
He disclosed that the state invested ₦14 billion in the health sector in 2024, achieving 87% budget performance, and introduced reforms to strengthen service delivery.
Other key interventions include:
₦1 billion contribution to the Child Nutrition Fund in partnership with UNICEF (2023–2025).
Upgrading 260 Primary Healthcare Centres and seven General Hospitals.
Recruitment of 1,600 frontline health workers and approval for postgraduate residency training in two state hospitals.
Enrolment of 504,000 residents under the state’s health insurance scheme, including vulnerable groups and security personnel.
Radda also announced plans to establish Tom-Brown and Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) production factories in Katsina to promote local solutions and job creation.
“To ensure sustainability, we are setting up local production of Tom-Brown and RUTF to stimulate our economy and create jobs for our youth,” he said.
He added that his administration is considering a six-month maternity leave and the full implementation of the Child Protection Law, along with a proposed Family Law to address social drivers of malnutrition.
“Our resolve is clear, but we cannot do it alone. We call for sustained partnership from donors, traditional rulers, civil society, and development partners,” the Governor appealed.
The Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Country Representative, Dr. Ahmed Aldikhari, revealed that Nigeria now treats the highest number of malnourished children in the world.
“In 2024 alone, we admitted nearly 300,000 children with Severe Acute Malnutrition in our outpatient units across northern Nigeria. This accounts for more than half of all MSF admissions worldwide,” Aldikhari said.
He commended Vice President Shettima’s March 2025 declaration of malnutrition as a national emergency, saying the scale of the crisis demands collective action.
“While the Federal and State Governments have a leading role to play, they cannot face this crisis alone,” he added.
The conference — jointly organised by the Katsina State Government, MSF, and partners — brought together key national and international stakeholders to forge a multi-sectoral approach to ending malnutrition.
Notable attendees included:
Annette Günther, German Ambassador to Nigeria
Engr. Idris Mohammed Gobir, Deputy Governor of Sokoto State
Gauthier Mignot, EU Ambassador to Nigeria
Mohammed Fall, UN Resident Coordinator
Also present were representatives of the Swiss and French Embassies, as well as senior Katsina officials including Hon. Malik Anas (Commissioner for Budget and Planning), Dr. Musa Adamu (Commissioner for Health), Prof. Saifullahi Sani (Statistician General), and Dr. Shamsudeen Yahaya (Executive Secretary, State Primary Health Care Development Agency).
Former Presidential Adviser on Social Investment, Hajiya Maryam Uwais, and top officials from neighbouring states also attended.
The conference concluded with a renewed commitment to intensify nutrition funding, expand local food production, and ensure that every Nigerian child has access to adequate and affordable nutrition.
Published by: Katsina Times
Date: November 6, 2025
Source: Government House, Katsina
