The Federal Government has stepped up efforts to tackle micronutrient deficiency among women and children with the inauguration of a National Advisory Committee on Micronutrient Deficiency and Control and the unveiling of new policy frameworks to strengthen coordinated action nationwide.
Speaking at the 2025 National Micronutrient Conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was committed to moving from fragmented nutrition interventions to a coordinated, evidence-based national response.
Pate said recent national surveys revealed persistent anaemia, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, as well as high levels of child malnutrition across the country, describing the situation as a silent threat to human capital and national productivity.
He said the government was scaling up food fortification, dietary diversification and micronutrient supplementation, while strengthening primary healthcare delivery to reach underserved communities.
According to him, millions of doses of multiple micronutrient supplements have been mobilised for pregnant women, health workforce capacity strengthened and nutrition services expanded through the World Bank-supported Accelerating Results in Nigeria project.
Pate added that the newly inaugurated advisory committee would serve as a multi-sectoral platform to monitor implementation, advise government on priority actions and close gaps using national data, including findings from the Micronutrient Survey and the Demographic and Health Survey.
He called for increased funding for nutrition interventions by federal, state and local governments in the 2026 budget cycle, urging communities and civil society organisations to support government efforts.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described micronutrient deficiency as an invisible crisis with visible consequences.
Salako said stunting among children under five remained at 40 per cent, wasting at eight per cent and underweight at 27 per cent, according to the 2024 Demographic and Health Survey, stressing the need for urgent and sustained action.
On his part, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, said food security and nutrition were inseparable, calling for stronger collaboration between the agriculture and health sectors.
Kyari noted that while food availability had improved, micronutrient deficiency remained a major development challenge, emphasising the need for food fortification, nutrition-sensitive agricultural policies and access to nutrient-rich foods.
The Federal Government also launched key documents at the conference, including the Roadmap for Scaling Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (2025–2029), the Micronutrient Supplementation Landscape Analysis Report and the Nutrition in Emergencies Strategy.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening nutrition systems to improve health outcomes and build a healthier, well-nourished population.
