FG launches strategic board to combat malnutrition nationwide
Abdullateef Fowewe
Vice President Kashim Shettima has officially inaugurated the Strategic Board of the Nutrition 774 Initiative.
Shettima in a statement on Saturday by the Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications (Office of The Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, described the initiative as a critical and decisive step by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to tackle the severe malnutrition crisis threatening the health and development of millions across Nigeria.
Speaking at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday, Vice President Shettima emphasised the urgency and gravity of the situation, calling malnutrition a “national emergency” that endangers both health and security.
He underscored the need for immediate, coordinated action across all 774 local government areas.
“This Strategic Board is not a ceremonial committee; it is a war room, assembled to win the battle against malnutrition in every corner of this country,” Shettima declared.
He urged board members to treat their appointments as a solemn call to urgent national duty noting, “This is not a tea-drinking exercise. This is a national call to duty. A race against time. A mission to save lives and safeguard our future.”
The Vice President also called on state governors and local government chairmen to take proactive leadership roles, noting that local officials “hold the keys to reaching the grassroots.”
Describing the Nutrition 774 Initiative as the Tinubu administration’s “bold answer to a quiet emergency,” Shettima warned, “A nation that neglects the physiological needs of its people, particularly the most vulnerable, flirts with instability. Because a malnourished population is an unproductive one, and an unproductive population drags down the wheels of progress.”
He explained that the initiative aims to unify fragmented efforts and eliminate duplication through a coordinated framework designed to deliver measurable impact nationwide.
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, praised Vice President Shettima’s leadership, highlighting the initiative’s potential to reduce poverty and strengthen social cooperation.
“We thank you, Your Excellency, for your leadership and what you are doing. It’s commendable, and we pray that God will continue to protect you and reward you,” he said.
Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, called for a focus on empowering women, noting the economic challenges faced by female-headed and children-headed households due to ongoing crises.
“You find a home headed by an eleven-year-old because they have lost both parents. How do they feed? I think it’s an economic issue, and we have to come out strongly,” she said.
Chairman of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Chike Okafor, assured full legislative support for the initiative stressing, “You have all the legislative backing at the National Assembly. For us, it is an honour to be part of this initiative, and we will give all our support to ensure its success.”
In her remark, Uju Anwuka, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, highlighted the initiative’s alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration.
She stressed that addressing malnutrition will improve educational outcomes, productivity, and health equity across Nigeria.
“Strong leadership, supportive policies, strategic partnerships, and community-driven engagement are the pillars that will achieve the objectives of Nutrition 774,” she said.
The Nutrition 774 Initiative represents a comprehensive, nationwide effort to save lives, empower vulnerable populations, and secure Nigeria’s future by ending hunger and malnutrition.
