UNICEF, EU Deliver Nutrition Support To 24,000 Children In Northern Nigeria

UNICEF and the European Union (EU) Humanitarian Aid Operations have provided lifesaving nutrition support to no fewer than 24,000 children across Northwest and Northeast Nigeria this year as part of efforts to address severe acute malnutrition in the regions.

The support, targeted at children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), is part of ongoing efforts to address the worsening nutrition crisis in conflict- and climate-affected parts of northern Nigeria.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja yesterday, UNICEF’s communication and advocacy specialist, Susan Akila, said the partnership with the EU underscored a renewed commitment to protecting vulnerable children and families through strong coordination within the nutrition sector and the delivery of critical lifesaving supplies.

“UNICEF, with funding support from EU Humanitarian Aid, has ensured a steady supply of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) and therapeutic milk to thousands of severely malnourished children in the affected regions.

“The quality of treatment programs for severely malnourished children in both regions continues to exceed international SPHERE standards, with cure rates above 90% and minimal default and mortality rates,” the statement said.

Head of EU Humanitarian Aid Operations in Nigeria, Alexandre Castellano, said the collaboration with UNICEF reflected the EU’s commitment to saving lives and supporting families impacted by the humanitarian crisis in northern Nigeria.

He described the intervention as a critical response to the nutrition needs of children and other vulnerable groups affected by insecurity, displacement and food shortages.

The joint programme, funded by a €3.5 million EU grant, covers Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states in the Northeast, as well as Sokoto, Katsina and Zamfara states in the Northwest. It targets infants and children under five, pregnant and lactating women and persons with disabilities.

UNICEF said the programme, implemented in collaboration with federal and state governments, had recorded significant gains, including the procurement and distribution of more than 60,000 cartons of RUTF, as well as active case finding and referral of children with severe acute malnutrition.

The agency also highlighted the conduct of nutrition surveillance and Standardised Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transitions (SMART) surveys across nine states, providing vital data to guide humanitarian planning and response.

UNICEF added that strong sector coordination, performance monitoring, and collaboration among government authorities, humanitarian partners, and local communities have been central to the programme’s achievements.