Vice President Kashim Shettima has emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to tackling the nation’s pressing nutrition challenges through grassroots initiatives designed to enhance nutrition outcomes in all 774 local government areas (LGAs). This initiative comes as the World Bank recognizes the N-774 initiative as a promising framework for addressing malnutrition in Nigeria and the wider region.
During a meeting on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa with a high-level delegation from the World Bank Group, VP Shettima unveiled the N-774 Initiative, which builds upon successful results from the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project. He highlighted that the N-774 initiative is pivotal at this moment, particularly as the ANRiN project nears its closeout phase.
“The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is pioneering a paradigm shift in nutrition programs through locally owned solutions,” VP Shettima stated. “The N-774 Initiative represents our commitment to community-driven development and sustainable nutrition outcomes.”
The Vice President explained that this initiative is tailored to meet the unique needs of each local government area, aiming to bring nutrition interventions directly to communities. He emphasized that malnutrition is a Nigerian issue requiring Nigerian solutions, affirming President Tinubu’s support for the initiative.
“Integrating nutrition goals across education, agriculture, health, and social protection sectors is essential,” Shettima added, underscoring the importance of leveraging current political will to reverse negative nutrition indicators in the country.
Shettima also outlined the project’s implementation strategy, which aims for swift, impactful results through innovative nutritional interventions. “With sustained collaboration between federal and subnational governments and international partners, we are confident this initiative will yield significant improvements in our community health outcomes,” he stated.
The World Bank delegation, which included the Country Director and the Regional Director for West and Central Africa, praised the initiative’s grassroots approach. Country Director Ndiame Diop thanked VP Shettima for his leadership in fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration on nutrition issues. He also noted the importance of ongoing government financing for nutrition programs, announcing that the World Bank has allocated $50 million for the ANRiN 2.0 program as part of a crisis response strategy.
Additionally, Trina Haque, Practice Manager for Health, Nutrition, and Population at the World Bank, emphasized the necessity of nutrition education for children and adolescents, highlighting its critical role in early child development.
The N-774 Initiative represents a concerted effort by the Nigerian government to address malnutrition through community engagement and strategic partnerships, promising a brighter future for the nation’s health and nutrition landscape.
