Kaduna LGA Chairs Pledge N400 Million to Tackle Child Malnutrition
By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna
In a decisive move to combat the alarming rates of child malnutrition in Kaduna State, the 23 Local Government Area (LGA) Chairmen have pledged a combined total of N400 million to the Child Nutrition Matching Grant (CNF).
The fund is expected to be used to procure essential nutrition commodities such as Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF), Small Quantity Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS), Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), Vitamin A, and Micronutrient Powders (MNP).
The commitment was announced at the April 2025 meeting of the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC), chaired by the Honourable Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Hon. Sadiq Mamman Lagos.
The decision follows strong advocacy efforts by the Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) Kaduna State Chapter, in collaboration with the State Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN).
Their campaign emphasized the urgent need for increased investment in nutrition interventions across all LGAs.
Speaking at the meeting, the Commissioner revealed that each LGA would contribute approximately N20 million, to be paid in three instalments.
Most importantly, the N400 million pledged by the LGAs will be matched by an additional N400 million from UNICEF, effectively creating a total pool of N800 million to fund malnutrition treatment and prevention initiatives at the local level.
To ensure the proper management and utilisation of the funds, the Commissioner announced the formation of a three-member committee, comprising the Chairmen of Chikun and Giwa LGAs and the CS-SUNN Kaduna State Coordinator.
The committee will oversee the smooth implementation of the financial commitments and related interventions.
Representatives from critical MDAs including the Planning and Budget Commission (PBC), State Primary Health Care Board (SPHCB), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN), and Alive & Thrive (A&T), along with CS-SUNN, attended the JAAC technical sessions, collectively representing the State Committee on Food and Nutrition.
Kaduna State continues to grapple with high rates of child malnutrition, a situation that stakeholders hope this significant financial commitment will begin to reverse.
