Shettima: Every Naira Spent on Nutrition is an Investment in Nigeria’s Future

Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged both government and development partners to increase investments in nutrition, noting that it delivers one of the highest returns in development — with every dollar invested yielding 23 in economic growth and productivity.

Speaking through his representative, Mrs. Uju Rochas-Anwukah, at a high-level conference on malnutrition held in Katsina State, the Vice President warned that Nigeria is losing an estimated 56 billion annually in human capital due to malnutrition — calling it “not just a human tragedy, but an economic one.”

“No child can learn on an empty stomach,” Shettima said. “We must stop seeing nutrition as an expense. It is an investment — in our children, in our economy, and in our future.”

The conference, co-hosted by the Northwest Governors Forum, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and other development partners, brought renewed focus to the urgent need for stronger political will and sustained funding to fight malnutrition, particularly in the North-West, where child nutrition indicators remain among the worst in the country.

In his remarks, Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina reaffirmed the state’s commitment to child health, disclosing a contribution of
₦1 billion to the Child Nutrition Fund, alongside critical support from UNICEF.

The gathering served as a call to action for all stakeholders — government, civil society, and international partners — to treat nutrition as a national development priority, capable of unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s next generation.