Report by Daniel Atori
As part of efforts to tackle malnutrition in the state, Wife of the Niger state Governor, Hajia Fatima Mohammed Bago has appealed to Chairmen of local government areas to prioritise and increase Nutrition budget.
While making the appeal at the 1st Quarter 2026 Joint State and Local Committees on Food and Nutrition review meeting in Minna, Hajia Fatima Bago said “malnutrition has held back the progress of the state, especially among women and children in across the state”.
According to her “I want to urge all Chairmen and the vice chairpersons of the 25 LGAs to prioritise Nutrition, to remain committed, innovative and action driven.
“Let us move beyond policies on paper a d focus on measurable impact. I look forward to a Niger state where no child will go to bed hungry and every mother is empowered with the knowledge and resources to provide nutritious meals, and where food security is not a privilege, but a reality for all”.
Speaking during his presentation, the Executive Secretary, Civil Society -Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CSSUNN), Sunday Okoronkwo explained that malnutrition is the underlying cause of mortality rate in Niger of all deaths among under 5.
Accordingly, he said in Niger state, “75 percent of children under 5 are affected by anaemia”.
In her opening remarks the Permanent Secretary, Niger state Planning Commission, Hajia Aisha Usman appealed to Wife of the Governor to use her office to appeal to Governor Umaru Bago to approve and release funds for Nutrition in the state.
According to her “as a state, we need to commit our resources in the future of our children. The Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) for 2024 has been on ground and there is the urgent need for us to distribute the commodities”.
In her goodwill message, the State Coordinator CSSUNN, Aisha Wakaso called on LGA chairmen and chairpersons to take deliberate, coordinated actions to reduce malnutrition to the barest minimum.
Accordingly, she said “Children are the future of any society, and it is essential that we invest in their health and nutrition so they can grow into productive, capable citizens.”
She added that, malnutrition does not just affect physical growth, but impairs cognitive development, weakens immunity, and limits children’s ability to learn and contribute meaningfully to society.
