The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called for greater support for breastfeeding mothers, urging governments, employers, healthcare professionals and families to work together to improve child nutrition and give every child the best possible start in life.
Speaking to commemorate the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week, the Chief of UNICEF Field Office in Lagos, Celine Lafoucriere, described breastmilk as a child’s first vaccine, noting that it protects babies against disease, promotes healthy brain development and provides the ideal foundation for lifelong health—all at no financial cost to families.
Lafoucriere expressed concern that although breastfeeding is widely practised in Nigeria, optimal breastfeeding remains below recommended levels. She revealed that only one in three newborns is breastfed within the first hour of birth, while just three in ten infants receive exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, without water, formula or other foods.
She noted that these figures can be significantly improved through stronger institutional and community support, particularly in Southwest Nigeria, where health facilities, workplaces and communities have a critical role to play in promoting recommended breastfeeding practices.
According to her, successful breastfeeding should not rest solely on the shoulders of mothers. She called on employers to provide nursing mothers with adequate time and private spaces for breastfeeding, while urging healthcare workers to encourage mothers to initiate breastfeeding within the first hour after delivery and provide accurate information about infant feeding.
She also appealed to husbands, grandparents, religious leaders and other family members to actively support breastfeeding mothers instead of discouraging or questioning their decisions. She emphasised that family and community support remains essential to improving exclusive breastfeeding rates and ensuring healthier outcomes for children.
Commending mothers for their commitment and sacrifice, Lafoucriere acknowledged those caring for their babies during the quiet hours of the night, describing breastfeeding as one of the greatest gifts a mother can give her child. She reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment, alongside its partners and government, to supporting mothers and advancing breastfeeding initiatives across Nigeria.
