…seeks state funding as only 6.4% consume globally acceptable minimum diet
By Peter Duru, Makurdi
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on the Benue state government to take ownership of nutrition interventions and commit adequate funding to tackle rising cases of child malnutrition, revealing that 25.5 percent of children under five years in the state are stunted while only 6.4 percent receive the recommended minimum acceptable diet.
The call was made at a High-Level Engagement and Planning Meeting for Policymakers, Local Government Officials and Stakeholders on the United States Government (USG)-funded initiative on Preventing Malnutrition in the First 1,000 Days of Life, held in Makurdi.
Speaking at the event, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Enugu Field Office, Mrs. Ngozi Onuora, described the first 1,000 days of life, from conception to a child’s second birthday, as the most critical period for growth, brain development and human capital formation.
According to her, the initiative is being funded through a grant provided by the United States Government, USG, in 2026 and aligns with Nigeria’s Multisectoral Plan of Action for Nutrition explaining that seven states across the federation were selected for the programme, with Benue and Enugu chosen from the states covered by UNICEF’s Enugu Field Office.
Mrs. Onuora said, “This 1,000 days of life spans from the time a child is conceived in the mother’s womb until the child’s second birthday. That is the window of opportunity for rapid growth, brain development and human capital development. That is when the foundation of health, appropriate growth and economic emancipation of a country is built. Nutrition is the pivot for human capital development.”
She disclosed that 12 Local Government Areas, LGAs, of the state, out of 23 had been selected for implementation of the programme, with four LGAs drawn from each of the state’s three geopolitical zones.
The UNICEF specialist stressed that malnutrition remains a major challenge in Benue despite its status as the nation’s food basket. “The Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2024 shows that 25.5 percent of children in the state are stunted. This means one out of every three children is shorter than the expected height for their age,” she said.
She attributed the situation partly to poor dietary practices, noting that only 6.4 percent of children in the state consume the globally recommended minimum acceptable diet.
According to her, the programme seeks to improve dietary diversity and provide nutritional support through the procurement of Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQLNS), Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) and Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) for pregnant women.
Mrs. Onuora urged the Benue State Government to release funds into the Child Nutrition Fund, which UNICEF would match to facilitate procurement of the essential commodities.
“The basic ask is that we are requesting the Benue State Government to own the programme. UNICEF and the US Government are providing technical support, but if the state does not invest in nutrition and own the programme, there will be no sustainability and there will be no results,” she stated.
She also called for dedicated and ring-fenced nutrition budgets across relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, including Health, Agriculture, Women Affairs and Education.
Highlighting the severity of the challenge, Mrs. Onuora revealed that UNICEF recently conducted Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) screenings among displaced and host community children in one of the state’s LGAs and recorded alarming levels of malnutrition saying “out of 127 children screened, only 26 percent were normal. We found 46 percent suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition, SAM. This underscores the urgent need for investment in nutrition commodities and interventions,” she said.
She further disclosed that anemia remains a significant public health concern in the state, affecting 56 percent of pregnant women and 61 percent of children under five years.
She explained that, the SQLNS supplements contain 22 micronutrients capable of reducing anemia and other nutrient deficiencies among children, while MMS helps improve maternal nutrition and reduce anemia during pregnancy.
Responding, the Benue State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Paul Ogwuche, assured stakeholders that Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration was committed to supporting the initiative and strengthening nutrition interventions across the state.
“Since coming on board, Governor Hyacinth Alia has prioritised healthcare delivery for the people of Benue State. We are grateful to the United States Government and UNICEF for bringing this initiative. The state government remains committed to working with partners to ensure the programme succeeds,” he said.
Addressing concerns over the state’s previous lack of financial commitment to nutrition programmes, Dr. Ogwuche maintained that the current administration had embarked on reforms across key sectors and would provide the necessary support. “I can assure you that the Governor is going to support this initiative and the needful will be done,” he added.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Benue State Budget and Economic Planning Commission, Prof. Jerome Andohol, emphasized that addressing malnutrition requires a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach involving education, health, agriculture, social protection and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).
He said the state planned to restructure budgets across relevant sectors to include nutrition-specific line items, strengthen monitoring mechanisms and ensure local government participation in funding nutrition interventions.
“We intend to ensure that both the state and local governments contribute to the Child Nutrition Fund so that the resources can be matched with UNICEF funding supported by the United States Government. This will help us reduce the burden of malnutrition across Benue State,” Andohol stated.
On her part, the Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Dr. Margaret Adamu, described the initiative as timely, noting that malnutrition negatively affects children’s learning outcomes and overall development.
“A child that is malnourished cannot effectively assimilate what is being taught in school. Health is wealth, and nutrition is central to ensuring productivity and academic performance,” she said.
She also noted that investing in preventive nutrition measures would ultimately reduce healthcare costs and improve educational outcomes.
The meeting brought together state commissioners, local government chairmen from the 12 selected LGAs, development partners, planning officials and other stakeholders to harmonize implementation strategies, define responsibilities and mobilize support for the programme.
