Malnutrition: The Child Nutrition Fund And The Fight To Save Nigeria’s Children

Nigeria is facing one of the most severe nutrition emergencies in the world, a crisis that continues to claim the lives of thousands of women and children while undermining the country’s future human capital development.

According to UNICEF, Nigeria ranks first in Africa and second globally in the number of malnourished children. The country also ranks first in both Africa and the world in absolute numbers of maternal and neonatal deaths, highlighting the devastating consequences of poor nutrition and inadequate access to essential healthcare interventions.

Behind these numbers are millions of women and children struggling with anaemia, undernutrition, and severe acute malnutrition—conditions that experts say are largely preventable through timely investments in nutrition.

Nutrition experts warn that malnutrition remains one of the biggest underlying causes of child deaths in Nigeria.

Speaking at a media roundtable themed “Child Nutrition Fund (CNF): A Strategic Pathway for Preventing Anaemia and Scaling Access to Life-Saving Nutrition Commodities in Nigeria,” in Abuja, UNICEF Nigeria’s Chief of Nutrition, Nemat Hajeebhoy, emphasised that reducing maternal and child mortality requires greater investment in high-impact reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent health and nutrition interventions.

According to UNICEF, malnutrition contributes to 45 per cent of the underlying causes of child morbidity and mortality. Children suffering from severe acute malnutrition are between 10 and 11 times more likely to die than their well-nourished counterparts.

The burden extends beyond children. Nigeria’s maternal mortality ratio remains one of the highest globally at 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births. Deficiencies in critical nutrients such as iron, folate, zinc, and Vitamin A among pregnant women continue to fuel a cycle of poor health outcomes that can span generations.

Data from the 2023 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey shows that 67 per cent of children aged six to 59 months and 57 per cent of women aged 15 to 49 years are anaemic. The condition contributes significantly to maternal deaths, low birth weight, poor cognitive development among children, and reduced productivity among adults.

Globally, the World Health Organisation estimates that anaemia affects 37 per cent of pregnant women and 30 per cent of women of reproductive age. However, Nigeria’s figures remain substantially higher, underscoring the urgency of intervention.

Nutrition experts increasingly view malnutrition not only as a health challenge but also as an economic threat.

Children who experience poor nutrition during the critical first 1,000 days of life often suffer lifelong consequences, including impaired cognitive development, poor educational outcomes, and reduced earning potential.

For pregnant women, anaemia increases the risk of complications during childbirth, maternal mortality, and poor birth outcomes. The resulting healthcare costs and productivity losses place significant pressure on families and the national economy.

Against this backdrop, the Child Nutrition Fund has emerged as a potentially transformative mechanism for addressing Nigeria’s nutrition challenges.

Established in 2020 through a partnership facilitated by UNICEF and donor organisations, the CNF was initially designed to support the procurement of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) for children suffering from wasting, a severe form of malnutrition characterized by low weight for height.

Recognising the need for a broader approach, the initiative expanded in 2022 to include preventive nutrition commodities aimed at early detection, prevention, and treatment of malnutrition.

What makes the CNF unique is its 1:1 matching mechanism. For every naira invested by federal or state governments, development partners contribute an equivalent amount, effectively doubling available resources for nutrition interventions.

The fund supports the procurement of essential commodities including Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) for pregnant and breastfeeding women, Balanced Energy Protein Supplements, Small Quantity Lipid Nutrient Supplements, Vitamin A supplements, and therapeutic foods used in the treatment of severe acute malnutrition.

According to the Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), 20 states invested a combined N7.1 billion through the CNF between 2023 and 2026.

The federal government has also committed ₦1.2 billion to the initiative.

These investments have enabled the procurement and distribution of life-saving nutrition commodities, expanded treatment coverage for severe acute malnutrition, and improved access to multiple micronutrient supplements in participating states.

Despite encouraging progress, significant barriers continue to limit the impact of the Child Nutrition Fund.

Many states have yet to approve participation in the programme, while others struggle with delays in releasing approved funds or utilizing resources efficiently.

These challenges often result in supply chain disruptions, commodity shortages, and limited access to nutrition services, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

The Director of Nutrition at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Mrs. Adegbite Olufunmilola, , described anaemia as a major public health challenge affecting millions of Nigerian women and children.

According to the National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey, anaemia affects 31 per cent of children aged six to 59 months, 23 percent of women of reproductive age, and 32 percent of pregnant women.

She noted that the CNF offers a strategic pathway for ensuring the availability and equitable distribution of nutrition commodities such as iron-folic acid supplements, micronutrient powders, and therapeutic foods.

Executive Secretary of CS-SUNN, Sunday Okoronkwo, said “We particularly applaud states that have not only approved the CNF but have also integrated it into their annual budgets, embedded nutrition financing within primary healthcare strategies and achieved measurable improvements in maternal nutrition outcomes and service delivery. Their actions reflect a deepening understanding that nutrition is not merely a health issue but a foundational driver of human capital development, economic growth and national prosperity.

“While progress made so far is encouraging, adoption remains uneven. Many States are yet to approve the CNF, while others face challenges of timely release and full utilisation of approved funds for the procurement of nutrition commodities. These gaps limit the fund’s potential to transform nutrition outcomes nationwide.”

CS-SUNN called on state governments that are yet to approve the CNF to join this important national initiative so that no part of the country is left behind in the fight against malnutrition. We urge States that have approved the fund to expedite its timely release and efficient utilisation, with a specific focus on scaling up MMS for the prevention of anaemia among pregnant women.

The organisation also urged journalists to intensify coverage of nutrition issues, monitor implementation of the CNF, highlight funding gaps, and amplify the voices of affected communities.

As Nigeria strives to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and implement its National Policy on Food and Nutrition for 2026-2035, experts insist that nutrition must move to the centre of development planning.