NATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION ON FOOD AND NUTRITION IN NIGERIA

What Is This Policy?

This plan coordinates interventions across health, agriculture, water, sanitation, and social protection to reduce malnutrition and improve food and nutrition security for all Nigerians, especially the most vulnerable groups.

Who Does It Target?

Children under five years of age, particularly those with stunting or wasting Pregnant and lactating women Adolescent girls in food-insecure households Households in food-insecure states, especially in the northeast and northwest

What Does It Aim to Achieve?

To reduce the prevalence of stunting, wasting, anaemia, and other forms of malnutrition through coordinated, evidence-based actions across multiple government ministries and development partners.

Key Features

Multi-Sector Coordination: Aligns activities of health, agriculture, education, water, and social protection agencies around shared, measurable nutrition outcomes Stunting Reduction Programme: Sets targets and specific interventions to cut the rate of chronic malnutrition among children under five Micronutrient Supplementation: Delivers vitamin A supplements, iron-folic acid tablets, and zinc supplements through health facilities and community outreach Community-Based Nutrition: Funds community screening, growth monitoring, and treatment of acute malnutrition at primary health care level State Nutrition Plans: Requires each state to develop and fund a corresponding State Nutrition Action Plan aligned with the national plan

Current Status

Rollout Stage: Active implementation across all states through the National Nutrition Directorate Coverage: Nationwide, with priority resourcing for high-burden states Beneficiaries to Date: Children, women, and food-insecure households nationwide Funding: Federal and state government budgets, UNICEF, World Bank, EU, and bilateral donor support

How to Access

Nutrition services under this plan are delivered free of charge through primary health care facilities, community health workers, and social safety net programmes. Registration at the nearest primary health care facility Nutrition screening assessment by a community health worker or facility staff member to determine eligibility for targeted interventions Application method: Primary health care facilities, community health extension workers, and local government nutrition officers

Official Resources

Website: www.health.gov.ng

Legal Framework

Operates under the National Food and Nutrition Policy, the National Health Act 2014, the National Agricultural Policy, the Child Rights Act 2003, and the National Social Protection Policy. Draws on the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights General Comment No. 12 on the right to food and WHO nutrition action guidelines.