Governors of all 36 Nigerian states have resolved to “declare war on hunger” by launching a nationwide nutrition emergency, supported by a new National Nutrition Intervention Fund designed to reach every local government area in the country.
Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal announced the proposed fund in Ethiopia as he read the NGF-Addis Ababa Commitment on Nutrition, according to a statement issued Saturday in Abuja by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to Vice President Kashim Shettima on Media and Communications. The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) will establish the fund to support the Nutrition 774 Initiative.
“This massive mobilisation will establish a powerful National Nutrition Intervention Fund to instantly advance Nigeria’s ambitious Nutrition 774 Initiative across every single local government area in Nigeria,” Lawal said.
The pledge came after a three-day Nigeria-Ethiopia Nutrition Leadership Exchange. A Nigerian delegation led by Shettima examined Ethiopia’s delivery of nutrition services, especially its Seqota Declaration. Lawal described the effort as “From lessons to commitment: Accelerating Implementation of the Nutrition 774 Initiative.”
What the Fund Is Meant to Do
Lawal said the fund would incentivise state-level leadership, encourage more domestic investment, reward effective implementation and support measurable improvements in nutrition outcomes. Governors also pledged to strengthen domestic financing, deepen accountability at the grassroots and establish a unified framework for nutrition planning and budgeting.
Public money and accountability are central. Lawal said the exchange reinforced the need for sustained political leadership, effective multisectoral coordination and ownership at every level of government.
The commitment follows an earlier agreement. Lawal recalled that the three tiers of government signed the Nutrition Compact on 20 February 2025, setting a shared commitment to tackle malnutrition. The NGF chairman signed on behalf of the 36 states, while the President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) signed for the 774 local governments.
Federal Plan Starts in Two States
Muyi Aina, Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), said the federal government would start targeted nutrition interventions in two states. Speaking for federal agencies, he said the delegation learned from Ethiopia’s agricultural transformation, early childhood development programmes and data-driven initiatives.
Aina said the federal team would select the two states based on their stunting burden, set clear objectives and shape multisectoral interventions around local needs. Relevant ministers and federal agencies would work with governors and their teams to identify sectoral priorities and clarify each tier of government’s responsibilities. The team would cost the plan, participating governments would work toward a joint financing arrangement, and measurable indicators would track progress.
“We will track very rigorously progress in the execution of the plan,” he said.
He identified clear vision and leadership, alignment across the three tiers of government, evidence-based prioritisation, rigorous measurement and disciplined execution as essential to lasting results.
Accountability Built In
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Pate said the exchange showed how to turn political commitments into practical action and measurable nutrition outcomes. He cited focused sectoral action, a clear implementation roadmap, performance matrices and accountability as critical to speeding Nigeria’s response to malnutrition.
The federal government will work with states to turn the commitments into practical interventions, Pate said, and report progress to the vice president through the National Council on Nutrition. Federal and state governments, communities and development partners will all be needed for sustainable results, he said. He added that he was confident Nigeria could adapt Ethiopia’s experience to its own circumstances, and said Ethiopia’s progress demonstrated the value of sustained political leadership and coordinated action.
Ethiopia’s Minister of Health, Mekdes Daba, praised Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening nutrition delivery. She called the exchange a practical example of African countries learning from one another and described the Nutrition 774 Initiative as a significant national commitment.
Why This Matters: Malnutrition hits the youngest and poorest hardest. Aina said officials will choose the first two states by their stunting burden, directing the earliest effort toward places where children are most affected. A dedicated fund, a costed plan and reporting to the vice president through the National Council on Nutrition give governments ways to be held to their word. Still, officials have announced a proposed fund and a plan to start in two states, not a completed programme. Whether governors follow their pledges with real domestic financing, and whether all 774 local governments see results, will determine if this marks a turning point or becomes another promise. The Nutrition Compact signed in February 2025 gave the effort a framework; delivery is now the test.