In the first quarter of 2025, the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning (FMBEP) intensified its efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s nutrition landscape through enhanced multi-sectoral coordination, strategic policy development, and increased investment in nutrition programs. The FMBEP in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President, UNICEF, Government of Nigeria, UNICEF, World Bank and CS SUNN recorded some impacts in the nutrition space.

Strengthening Multi-Sectoral Coordination and Governance

In the first quarter of 2025, the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning (FMBEP) played a key role in strengthening Nigeria’s nutrition landscape through strategic coordination and policy development. The Ministry facilitated key meetings, including the National Council on Nutrition (NCN) chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, and the National Committee on Food and Nutrition (NCFN), reinforcing high-level commitment to nutrition.

A significant milestone was the launch of the Nutrition 774 (N774) Initiative at the 148th National Economic Council meeting. This community-driven program aims to deliver tailored nutrition interventions across all 774 local government areas, emphasizing grassroots impact and multisectoral collaboration.

To ensure effective implementation, the Ministry developed and validated Standard Operating Procedures for the N774 Initiative. Additionally, it spearheaded the development of the 2025–2027 Government of Nigeria and UNICEF Workplan, aligning national efforts with international support.

Advancing Policy and Strategic Frameworks

Recognizing the need to address emerging nutrition challenges, FMBEP initiated the review of the National Policy on Food and Nutrition (NPFN). This review aims to update the policy to reflect current realities and to incorporate a food systems-transformative approach.

Furthermore, FMBEP coordinated the updating of the Performance Management System (PMS) and the National Nutrition Dashboard; tools essential for tracking nutrition interventions and informing decision-making processes.

Enhancing Nutrition Financing and Visibility

A significant development is the 500% increase in the ministry’s budget allocation for nutrition.

To enhance public awareness and engagement, FMBEP utilized various communication channels, including press releases and social media platforms, to disseminate information on nutrition-related activities and programs.

Looking Ahead: Upcoming Initiatives

FMBEP has outlined several key activities for the upcoming quarters:

  • Joint planning of the Nutrition 774 Initiative implementation with the Office of the Vice President, federal MDAs, ALGON, and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
  • Joint NCFN and State Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN) meetings to strengthen coordination at both national and sub-national levels.
  • Continued targeted advocacy, capacity-building trainings, and sensitization campaigns on the Nutrition 774 Initiative across geopolitical zones.
  • Development of a Monitoring and Evaluation framework for the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Week (MNCHW) to track progress and outcomes.

To enhance the effectiveness of nutrition interventions across Nigeria, the Ministry recommends the establishment a more robust coordination framework among Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). This would facilitate improved collaboration, alignment of efforts, and efficient resource utilization in addressing malnutrition.