By Abdullahi Lukman
The Federal Government, in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and other partners, is pushing to integrate climate resilience with nutrition policy to build a more sustainable and health-focused food system in Nigeria.
This effort, unveiled during the National Consultation on Climate and Nutrition Integration held in Abuja on June 19, 2025, seeks to enhance food security and health outcomes nationwide.
Central to the meeting was the presentation of GAIN’s study titled Nutrition Integration: Evidence Generation, Stakeholders Mapping and Policy Landscape Analysis in Nigeria, which highlights how climate change is exacerbating malnutrition and food insecurity in the country.
The study’s findings indicate that over 33 million Nigerians could face acute food insecurity in 2025, and more than 30% of children under five are already stunted.
It emphasized the need for urgent policy actions that can withstand climate shocks while improving nutrition.
The initiative is built around the I-CAN framework—Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition—launched at COP27 by Egypt in partnership with WHO, FAO, UNEP, and GAIN.
The framework offers a global model for integrating climate and nutrition responses.
Dr. Faniran Sanjo, Director at the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, said the study supports the government’s ongoing review of the National Food and Nutrition Policy.
He stressed the importance of addressing food system challenges from production to consumption, linking effective climate action to improved nutritional outcomes.
Ladi Bako-Aiyegbusi, Head of Nutrition at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to scaling up nutrition-focused policies.
She noted the National Food and Nutrition Policy and National Health Promotion Policy were already helping to address climate-related health risks, non-communicable diseases, and food insecurity.
Dr. Michael Ojo, Country Director for GAIN Nigeria, underlined the urgency of merging climate and nutrition into a unified framework.
“Climate change is not just an environmental crisis; it is also a nutrition crisis,” he said.
Obinna Igwebuike, CEO of Sawubona Advisory Services, echoed these concerns while presenting the study.
He stressed that climate change has significantly impacted food and nutrition security in Nigeria and called for immediate action.
Other stakeholders at the consultation pledged continued collaboration to build a climate-resilient and nutrition-driven food system, in line with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.