By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, FSI, has called for a stronger partnership between the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) to intensify efforts at tackling malnutrition through economic empowerment, food security and community-driven interventions.
The Minister made the call on Monday while receiving the National President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Prof. Salisu Maiwada Abubakar, and members of his delegation during a courtesy visit to her office in Abuja.
Speaking during the meeting, Hajiya Imaan described nutrition as a critical national development issue that extends beyond the health sector, requiring coordinated action across agriculture, education, social protection, women’s empowerment and community development.
She stressed that Nigeria’s battle against malnutrition, which continues to affect more than 40 per cent of children through stunting, can only be won by prioritising prevention, strengthening family welfare and improving household food security.
“Nutrition is simple. We should not make it unnecessarily technical. Every family wants strength, good health and wellbeing. When families are economically empowered and have enough food, nutrition improves naturally. Prevention must remain our priority,” she said.
The Minister observed that women and children remain the most vulnerable to malnutrition, noting that cultural and social practices often prevent pregnant and nursing mothers from accessing adequate nutritious meals. She called for sustained advocacy, behavioural change communication and grassroots mobilisation to address these challenges.
Highlighting the Ministry’s interventions under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Minister listed the Women Agro Value Expansion (WAVE 774) Programme, the Renewed Hope Access to Nutrition Support and Assistance (RH-ANSA) Initiative, Community Nutrition Kitchens, Household Nutrition Gardens and community-based Tom Brown Processing Centres as key initiatives aimed at improving access to affordable, nutritious food while strengthening household food production and women’s economic empowerment.
She maintained that empowering women remains one of the fastest and most effective strategies for improving national nutrition outcomes.
The Minister also proposed a formal technical collaboration between the Ministry and the Nutrition Society of Nigeria in policy implementation, research, nutrition standards, capacity building, advocacy, monitoring and technical support for nutrition programmes.
She urged the Society to regard itself as a strategic partner in strengthening Nigeria’s nutrition system.
“See yourselves as part of this Ministry. Together, we can build stronger systems, strengthen our staff, support our communities and deliver lasting nutrition outcomes for Nigerian women, children and families,” she added.
Earlier, the National President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Prof. Salisu Maiwada Abubakar, commended the Minister for her leadership and commitment to improving nutrition through innovative policies and programmes.
He described the establishment of the Ministry’s Nutrition Department as a landmark achievement that reflects government’s commitment to institutionalising nutrition interventions across the country.
Prof. Abubakar reaffirmed the Society’s readiness to provide technical expertise, research support, capacity building and nationwide community engagement through its network of professionals across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He also praised the Ministry’s Renewed Hope Access to Nutrition Support and Assistance (RH-ANSA) initiative and urged greater investment in nutrition-sensitive agriculture under the WAVE 774 Programme to boost household food security and improve dietary quality.
Statement by Ahmed Lawan Danbazau, MNIPR Head, Press and Public Relations Department Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development (FMWASD), said: “The NSN President further appreciated the Minister for approving the participation of the Ministry’s delegation at the Society’s National Conference scheduled for September and called for greater visibility of the Ministry’s nutrition initiatives during the event.
