High-level conference on mobilising against malnutrition

All praises are due to Almighty Allah, the Creator, the Nourisher, and Sustainer of the universe.

I feel deeply honoured to stand before you today at this high-level conference on Mobilizing Against Malnutrition in the North-West, with Katsina State proudly taking the lead in this collective effort.

We gather today not merely to discuss a problem, but to confront an emergency that threatens the very foundation of our future — our children. Across the North-West, and particularly in Katsina State, the alarming rates of stunting, wasting and underweight among children are not just statistics. They represent unfulfilled potential, prematurely cut-short lives, and a heavy anchor dragging on our region’s progress and development. For too long, the devastating impact of malnutrition has demanded a comprehensive and collaborative response that transcends borders and sectors. I therefore acknowledge the dedication of organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and other development partners, whose reports and interventions have validated the urgency of our challenge and strengthened our collective resolve to act decisively

On understanding the situation of malnutrition in the State, I recognized that fragmented efforts would no longer suffice. We needed a forensic, ground-up assessment. This is why, as a mark of my administration’s resolve, I immediately constituted a multi-sectoral committee, to not just measure the crisis of malnutrition, but to diagnose the root cause of the problem within our system. The report produced by this dedicated committee is now part of our Strategic Blueprint of "Building Your Future”.

We did not shy away from the hard facts as the findings of the committee were a sober reflection of the problems that have stalled our progress, revealing critical challenges that we are now committed to addressing: These problems include widespread diversion and sale of life-saving Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), acute shortage of Human Resource for Health and critical equipment, coupled with an unreliable supply chain that has led to prolonged RUTF stock-outs and a high level of poverty as confirmed by the survey on household vulnerability which found that over 50% of sampled households fall below the minimum expenditure basket, underscoring the deep poverty driving this crisis.

This report is not merely an exposé of deficiencies; it is the catalyst for immediate action. Our resolve to address the root cause of malnutrition is unwavering. It is important to inform our distinguished participants that my administration has undertaken major reforms in all sectors and notably the health sector has been a key priority of this administration

We undertook system-wide reforms aimed at revamping the health system from inception to of this administration. Over ₦14 Billion was invested in the year 2024 with 87% budget performance and measurable improvements in service readiness & quality.

In the last 2 years of this administration, we have contributed 1 billion Naira as part of Child Nutrition Fund which UNICEF provided a matching fund to address Malnutrition (N200, 300 & 500 million in 2023,2024 & 2025 respectively) We have upgraded and revitalized 260 PHC facilities with full complements of infrastructure, equipment, staff quarters, fencing, borehole, and solar lighting. This is with a view of having one functional PHC per ward. We have also upgraded 7 Comprehensive Centres to full-fledged General Hospitals. In terms of Human Resource for Health, we have approved the employment of one thousand and twenty (1020) frontline health workers at PHC level in addition to the over 600 employed at secondary level. To boost the production and retention of Medical Doctors, we have approved the commencement of Postgraduate medical residency training in 2 state owned hospitals. On expanding access to health insurance and financial Risk Protection, we enrolled over 200,000 vulnerable indigents under the BHCPF. Under the formal sector program, there is expansion and enrollment of all retirees, Community Watch Corps, into the scheme which has attracted national accolades as the total enrollment figure rose from 320,000 in 2023 to 504, 000 in 2025.

To address issues of Stunting we have implemented Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria Project 1. 0(ANRiN) with support from World Bank, where we implemented 7 key cost-effective Nutrition Sensitive intervention across all the 361 political wards of the State at both communities and facilities. Under same project we trained over 1000 Healthcare Workers on Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) and also trained over 700 women on how to produce tombrown power (Garin Lafia) as we await the commencement of implementation of ANRiN 2.0 and N774 after signing an expression of Interest.

These achievements and many more, too numerous to be mentioned are a testimony to my administration’s resolve to address yet another critical issue of Malnutrition. Based on this we have identified the following strategies:

Following the presentation of the report of the Committee, I formed a Sub-Committee comprising the Ministry of Health, Primary Health Care Agency, Hospital Services Management Board, Drugs and Medical Supply Agency and the Development Management Board to ensure a coordinated and technically sound process, This Sub-Committee is tasked with developing a comprehensive proposal for the revitalization of all state run Stabilization Centres and to scale up Outpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centres in the 12 Local Government Areas currently lacking them, as well as the establishment of Tom-Brown and RUTF production factories ensuring they meet critical requirements for equipment, human capital and financial resources. We are committed to bringing life-saving care directly to the doorstep of every vulnerable household.

To ensure a sustainable, cost-effective, and consistent supply of therapeutic food, we are taking the visionary step of establishing local production capacity by setting up Tom-brown and RUTF production factories right here in Katsina State. This will not only guarantee a consistent supply but will also stimulate our local economy and create jobs for our youth.

I have directed the immediate distribution of 90,000 bags of grains to most vulnerable households and care givers of children who were admitted in the OTPs in the last 6 months across the 34 LGAs. This is to provide immediate relief. We are equally addressing social issues. We are considering the approval of the proposed six-month maternity leave to ensure mothers can provide proper and adequate care for their infants during the critical first six months of life. We will ensure that at least 20,000 patients discharged from our OTPs and Stabilization Centres are enrolled in the BHCPF sector insurance program, providing a safety net for those who need it most. We will fully implement the Katsina State Child Protection Law and fast-track the enactment of our Family Law to address social issues such as high rates of divorce and child neglect, which are often silent drivers of malnutrition.

Our resolve is clear, but we cannot do it alone. This conference is a critical forum to mobilize political will and resources from across the North-West Zone and beyond. In light of the foregoing, may I use this opportunity to request for a sustained partnership from Donors, Development Partners, Traditional and Religious Leaders, Civil Society Organizations and all other stakeholders to build a resilient system that ensures every child in Katsina State and indeed, in the North-West as the chance to thrive.

Let us leave this conference not with mere promises, but with actionable commitments to address hunger as one of the top priorities of Sustainable Development Agenda.

Thank you, and may God bless the Northwest states and the Federal Republic of Nigeria at large