Nutrition and health stakeholders have called for the nationwide adoption and effective implementation of the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) as a strategic solution to the growing burden of anaemia and malnutrition among women and children in Nigeria.
The appeal was made during a media roundtable in Abuja themed, “Child Nutrition Fund (CNF): A Strategic Pathway for Preventing Anaemia and Scaling Access to Life-Saving Nutrition Commodities in Nigeria.” The event, organised by Civil Society–Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), brought together government agencies, development partners and health advocates to strengthen support for sustainable nutrition financing.
Executive Secretary of CS-SUNN, Sunday Okoronkwo, described the Child Nutrition Fund as a catalytic financing mechanism designed to improve access to essential nutrition commodities for vulnerable populations. He noted that anaemia remains one of Nigeria’s most pressing public health challenges, citing the 2023 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, which revealed that 67 percent of children aged six to 59 months and 57 percent of women aged 15 to 49 years are anaemic.
According to him, the high prevalence of anaemia contributes significantly to maternal mortality, low birth weight, poor cognitive development and reduced economic productivity. He added that Nigeria’s maternal mortality ratio of 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births is partly linked to micronutrient deficiencies among pregnant women.
Okoronkwo explained that the CNF operates through a one-to-one co-financing model between federal and state governments, enabling the procurement of critical nutrition commodities such as Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF), Vitamin A supplements and other life-saving interventions.
He commended the Federal Government and 20 states for releasing approximately N7.1 billion between 2023 and 2026 to support nutrition programmes, but expressed concern that several states are yet to fully adopt the initiative or release counterpart funding.
He urged state governments to prioritise nutrition financing, integrate CNF commitments into annual budgets and strengthen the distribution of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements to pregnant women. He also called on the media to intensify advocacy and accountability reporting on nutrition financing and implementation.
Director of Nutrition at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Adegbite Olufunmilola, described anaemia as a major public health concern affecting millions of Nigerians. She said the CNF provides a bold financing framework to ensure the availability and accessibility of essential nutrition commodities while stressing the need for stronger accountability and timely release of funds.
Similarly, the Director of Nutrition at the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Clementina Okoro, emphasised the importance of sustained collaboration among stakeholders to eliminate malnutrition and nutrition-related health challenges.
UNICEF’s Chief of Nutrition Section, Nemat Hajeebhoy, described nutrition as a fundamental human right and a critical driver of national development. She noted that full implementation of the Child Nutrition Fund could significantly accelerate efforts to reduce malnutrition and anaemia across the country.
Participants at the event, including representatives from Kaduna, Kano, Bayelsa and Kwara states, called on governments at all levels to close nutrition financing gaps and ensure efficient utilisation of resources to improve maternal and child health outcomes nationwide.
