The Federal Government is set to transmit an executive bill on nutrition to the National Assembly as part of efforts to establish a comprehensive legal framework for addressing malnutrition and strengthening the delivery of nutrition interventions across the country.
The proposed legislation is expected to provide a statutory foundation for nutrition programmes, improve coordination among government institutions and make the implementation of nutrition policies a shared responsibility of the federal, state and local governments.
The development emerged at the Joint Annual Nutrition Review, where policymakers, lawmakers and other stakeholders called for stronger government action to address the persistent burden of malnutrition in Nigeria.
Participants stressed that the country must move beyond policy commitments and translate existing strategies into practical interventions capable of improving nutrition outcomes, particularly among children and women.
They also called for increased and sustained funding for nutrition programmes across the 774 local government areas, noting that effective implementation would require adequate resources, stronger institutional coordination and accountability at every level of government.
Malnutrition remains a major public health and development challenge in Nigeria, with serious implications for child growth, maternal health, disease resistance and survival.
Poor nutrition during pregnancy and early childhood can have lasting consequences, affecting physical development, cognitive performance, educational outcomes and long-term productivity.
Stakeholders at the review argued that a dedicated legal framework would help address gaps in the implementation of nutrition policies by clearly defining institutional responsibilities and strengthening the mechanisms for monitoring progress.
The proposed bill is also expected to support more predictable financing and encourage governments to prioritise nutrition interventions in their budgets.
The involvement of state and local governments is particularly important because many nutrition-related services are delivered through primary healthcare facilities and community-based programmes.
With the proposed legislation, the Federal Government is seeking to strengthen the institutional foundation for a coordinated national response, although its impact will ultimately depend on legislative approval, adequate funding and effective implementation across the three tiers of government.
