2.9m Nigerian children suffering from severe malnutrition — UNICEF

THE United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF, has revealed that approximately 2.9 million children in Nigeria are suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition, SAM.

UNICEF Country Representative, Mrs. Cristian Munduate, who made this known on Monday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital,  emphasised the urgent need for immediate hospital care to prevent the untimely deaths of affected children.

Speaking at the handover ceremony of 40,000 packs of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food, RUTF, through the Child Nutrition Fund, Munduate stated that over 40 per cent of children in Kwara State are affected by malnutrition.

She noted that the Kwara State Government had contributed $100,000 to access the Child Nutrition Fund, with UNICEF matching the amount.

She said: “According to our records, 2.9 million children in Nigeria are suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition. This is clearly a troubling situation. In my opinion, the affected children should be taken to hospitals immediately for urgent medical intervention to prevent unnecessary deaths.

“UNICEF introduced the Child Nutrition Fund to boost investment in nutrition policies and programmes. We are committed to partnering with the Kwara State Government to combat malnutrition, especially during the critical first 1,000 days of life.”

She stressed that the issue of stunting in over 40 per cent of children in Kwara State, and the nearly 300,000 affected by wasting, demands immediate attention.

Munduate identified poverty, climate change, food insecurity, and related challenges as key drivers of severe acute malnutrition.

Also speaking at the event, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Prof. Jubril Mamman, said the state’s participation in the programme was motivated by a desire to positively impact children’s lives and improve nutrition indicators.

He said, “UNICEF has created a platform called the Child Nutrition Fund, through which it partners with any state government willing to contribute at least $100,000. This collaboration ensures the provision of RUTF for malnourished children." 

“This partnership has led to the procurement of the RUTF we are officially receiving today from UNICEF. Our collaboration with UNICEF goes beyond a partnership, it is a shared mission to uphold the fundamental rights of women and children. We will continue making significant strides in improving child health and nutrition.

“This nutrition commodity is designed to restore health to sick children and give them hope for a brighter, more productive future. I appeal to parents with malnourished children to bring them to health facilities to access this life-saving treatment.”

Delivering a lecture titled “Combating Malnutrition in Nigeria: The Lifesaving Power of RUTF,” Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Ilorin, Aisha Bolakale, lamented that only about 20 percent of affected children currently receive the treatment they need.

Bolakale said, “Tragically, Nigeria is facing a severe nutrition crisis—one of the worst globally. According to UNICEF and the National Bureau of Statistics, over 35 million Nigerian children under the age of five are malnourished.

“An estimated two million children suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition every year. Without intervention, up to 400,000 children with SAM die annually—over 1,000 deaths per day.

“These are not just statistics. They represent our future—the next generation of Nigerian doctors, engineers, educators, and leaders. Yet, many may never get the chance to grow, thrive, or even survive.”