Combating Childhood Malnutrition in Nigeria through Effective Implementation of the National Multisectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition (NMPFAN 2021–2025) Beyond 2025: Legislative Recommendations

Abstract

Childhood malnutrition remains a critical public health crisis in Nigeria, with 32% of children under five stunted, 7% wasted, and 22% underweight, and 2 million suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), contributing to 45% of under-five deaths. Regional disparities are stark, with stunting rates ranging from 7.2% in Osun to 61% in Kaduna. The National Multisectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition (NMPFAN 2021–2025) aims to halve hunger and malnutrition by 2025, yet faces significant implementation challenges, including fragmented coordination, underfunding, and limited integration into healthcare systems. Underlying causes such as poverty, food insecurity, militant insurgency, and climate change exacerbate the crisis, with 33.1 million Nigerians projected to face food insecurity by end of 2025. This policy brief proposes legislative recommendations to strengthen NMPFAN beyond 2025, including: mandating multisectoral coordination, securing sustainable financing, extending maternity leave to support breastfeeding, and establishing oversight mechanisms to ensure accountability and progress.