From: Femi Mustapha
The Kaduna State Government, with support from Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition Nigeria, CS-SUNN, has successfully hosted a high-level policy dialogue on nutrition financing at the BAFRA Hotel, Kaduna. The event aimed to secure grassroots funding to eradicate malnutrition across all 23 local government areas.
The strategic gathering brought together top state officials, local government chairpersons, traditional rulers, and development partners. The key goal was to confirm financial commitments and create sustainable frameworks for local nutrition investments.
Delivering the keynote address, Mukhtar Abdullahi, Chairman of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN) and Permanent Secretary of the Planning and Budget Commission, emphasized the state’s vision, describing nutrition as essential for human development, economic progress, and societal health.
While recognizing Kaduna State’s progress—such as establishing Local Government Committees on Food and Nutrition and integrating nutrition into local development plans—Abdullahi noted the persistent issues of stunting and poor dietary diversity that require targeted, well-funded actions.
He pointed out a unique opportunity created by recent governance changes. “With the opportunities presented by the evolving local government autonomy framework, LGAs now have the power to invest directly in the well-being of their people,” Abdullahi stated. “Nutrition should therefore be viewed not as an expenditure, but as a strategic investment that yields substantial returns in education, health, productivity, and economic development.”
Earlier, Mrs. Celestina Anyim, the Kaduna State Coordinator for CS-SUNN, outlined the main objectives of the meeting. She explained that the dialogue was designed to review current nutrition indicators across all 23 LGAs, address critical financing challenges at the grassroots level, and establish a sustainable framework for localized nutrition investments. “Safeguarding these investments is essential to securing the state’s future human capital and long-term economic productivity,” she added.
The event received strong expressions of political commitment from local leaders. Speaking for the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Hon. Dauda Manakin, the Executive Chairman of Kajuru LGA, praised Kaduna State’s leadership in nutrition initiatives across Northern Nigeria. He commended the Governor Uba Sani-led administration and the Ministry of Local Government Affairs for their steadfast commitment to reducing malnutrition.
Hon. Manakin highlighted ongoing local efforts, noting that councils regularly provide monthly financial support to supplement the work of local health officials.
He called for accountability, stressing the need for strict measures to ensure that nutrition commodities reach vulnerable women and children without diversion. He also assured stakeholders that Kaduna’s LGA chairpersons remain dedicated to eliminating malnutrition, while challenging civil society groups like CS-SUNN to amplify public health messages.
Traditional institutions also pledged support. The District Head of Makera, Kaduna South LGA, and Chitoman Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Tijjani, delivered goodwill messages, emphasizing their alignment with the government’s health and nutrition goals. He committed to using traditional structures to promote community awareness and compliance.
A key highlight was a presentation by CS-SUNN titled “Why Local Government Financing Matters and The Role of LGAs in Scaling up Nutrition,” along with a data-driven session by Mallam Lema, Director of Budget at the Ministry of Local Government Affairs.
Mallam Lema explained current budget allocations for local nutrition programs and outlined practical steps for institutionalizing dedicated, ring-fenced budget lines to scale up community nutrition, maternal care, and child growth monitoring.
The event concluded with the creation and adoption of a comprehensive communiqué signed by all stakeholders. This document outlines specific, actionable commitments to improve financing, enhance transparency, and strengthen multisectoral accountability mechanisms for nutrition initiatives across Kaduna State’s local government councils.
