Nigeria Reviews Food, Nutrition Policy to Tackle Malnutrition

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning (FMBEP), Dr. Deborah O. N. Odoh, has described the ongoing review of the National Policy on Food and Nutrition (2016–2025) as a critical milestone in Nigeria’s collective effort to strengthen food and nutrition security.

Dr. Odoh made this statement while delivering her opening remarks at the Steering Committee Meeting for the Review of the National Policy on Food and Nutrition and its Implementation Plan.

She noted that the Steering Committee, inaugurated on 5th March, 2025, was established to provide leadership for the review process and to align the existing policy with emerging trends, national realities, and the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration.

According to her, the review process has been highly consultative, involving extensive stakeholder engagements aimed at producing a 10-year blueprint (2026–2035) to guide food and nutrition security interventions at both national and sub-national levels.

Odoh emphasized that “the revised policy is expected to promote healthy diets, address all forms of malnutrition, and improve the nutritional status of vulnerable groups, particularly women, children, adolescents, and the elderly”.

She stated that the purpose of the meeting was to consider the draft revised policy ahead of its presentation to the National Council on Nutrition scheduled for 28th January 2026.

In her remarks, the Director of Nutrition, Mrs. Clementina Okoro, mentioned that “the revised policy is central to achieving national goals on reducing malnutrition and addressing food and nutrition challenges over the next decade”.

She commended the collective contributions of Federal and State Ministries, Development Partners, Consultants, Civil Society Organisations, the Private Sector, Academia, and Partners such as GAIN, for their sustained support throughout the review process.

Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the President on Public Health and Food and Nutrition, Mrs. Uju Rochas Anwuka underscored the importance of food and nutrition security to economic recovery, workforce productivity, and national stability.

She noted that while the National Policy on Food and Nutrition has guided multisectoral actions across health, agriculture, social protection, water and sanitation, evolving realities such as population growth, climate change, and food system transformations necessitated the review.

The meeting brought together key nutrition stakeholders across sectors to deliberate on the draft policy and provide recommendations to ensure it is comprehensive, implementable, and impactful.