Iliayasu Abdullahi Bah
In the sun-scorched villages of Northeast Nigeria, where insecurity often limits the reach of international aid, a quiet revolution is taking place. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is scaling up its local capacity building programme from Borno State into Yobe State, bringing hope to communities where children and families are grappling with acute food insecurity and widespread malnutrition. With the expansion, UNICEF aims to advance its vision of #NutritionForAll, ensuring that no child is left behind, even in the most remote or conflict-affected areas.
The programme, which has been running successfully for three years, empowers local humanitarian actors to deliver essential services in areas where international agencies face severe access constraints. Josephine Nneka Okide, UNICEF Emergency Specialist at the Maiduguri Field Office, explained the approach: “One of UNICEF’s core visions is to leave no child behind. Security challenges prevent us from going everywhere. By training and supporting local actors who already have access to these communities, we can ensure life-saving aid reaches every child, regardless of the security situation.”
Malnutrition remains a pressing concern across the Northeast, driven by disrupted farming, limited economic opportunities, and the lingering impact of conflict. Families often struggle to put food on the table, while children suffer from both acute and moderate malnutrition. In response, UNICEF’s programme takes a holistic approach, equipping local partners to provide a suite of integrated services: identifying and referring malnourished or sick children for treatment, educating mothers on preparing nutritious diets using locally available foods, promoting exclusive breastfeeding, and improving access to clean water and sanitation. Each step reinforces the mission of #NutritionForAll, turning local actors into crucial agents of change.
Beyond addressing nutrition, the initiative also supports children separated from their parents due to conflict, linking them to appropriate care and protection services. “Building the capacities of local actors is a direct investment in reducing malnutrition rates,” Okide said. “They can go directly into the heart of communities, build trust, and deliver education and services where they are needed most.”
The programme’s success in Borno State has been evident, with 60 local actors trained annually over the past three years. Leveraging this experience, the expansion into Yobe State will begin with 45 local actors, working in close partnership with government agencies such as the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), alongside UN agencies including the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
“This year we decided to extend this proven model to Yobe State,” Okide said. “The aim is to complement each other’s capacities, leveraging the reach of local actors and the technical support of international and government partners—so that we can reach every child and every woman, wherever they are.”
For communities living on the edge of conflict and scarcity, the programme represents more than training sessions and nutrition workshops. It is a lifeline, a bridge between isolation and support, and a tangible demonstration that aid can adapt to local realities. By investing in those who know the terrain best, UNICEF is crafting a model of humanitarian assistance that is resilient, accessible, and grounded in the communities it serves. Ultimately, the initiative is a living embodiment of #NutritionForAll, a promise that every child in Northeast Nigeria can grow, survive, and thrive.