Iliyasu Abdullahi Bah
In a critical intervention to address Sokoto State’s worsening malnutrition crisis, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has pledged N1.5 billion in emergency funding. The initiative, launched in collaboration with the European Union (EU), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and the Nigerian government, aims to prevent catastrophic outcomes for malnourished children in the state.
The funding commitment was announced during a high-level delegation visit to Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto, led by Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Nantewa Yilwatda. The visit followed alarming data from the latest Nutrition SMART survey, which revealed that rates of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in Sokoto have reached emergency levels.
During the strategic meeting, UNICEF Country Representative Cristian Munduate commended Sokoto State’s own N500 million allocation to combat malnutrition. She, however, stressed the urgent need for localized, sustainable solutions to protect the state’s most vulnerable children.
European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting Sokoto’s malnutrition response, particularly for children facing life-threatening nutritional deficiencies.
In response, Governor Aliyu expressed appreciation for the international support and pledged continued political will to eradicate malnutrition, especially in Sokoto’s hard-to-reach communities.
The delegation’s visit to the Sokoto State Specialist Hospital underscored the severity of the crisis. UNICEF- and MSF-supported stabilization units were reported to be overwhelmed by the rising number of severely malnourished children.
Health officials raised concerns that the current stock of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF)—the lifesaving treatment for acute malnutrition—could be depleted by September 2025. This situation is being worsened by 30 RUTF containers stranded at Nigerian ports due to bureaucratic bottlenecks.
In response, Minister Yilwatda issued urgent directives, calling for UNICEF and its partners to submit a detailed report on the RUTF importation challenges. She also vowed to work with federal agencies to expedite clearance processes.
“Children’s lives cannot wait for red tape. We must act decisively to unblock these critical supplies,” Yilwatda declared.
The delegation outlined a multi-pronged action plan involving federal intervention to secure RUTF supply chains, increased state funding, the use of local food resources, and stronger coordination among stakeholders to enhance nutrition service delivery and drive sustainable policy reforms.
With the lean season approaching, experts warn of worsening malnutrition cases unless interventions are rapidly scaled up. The minister announced upcoming follow-up meetings with key agencies and humanitarian organizations to operationalize response strategies. This will include leveraging UNICEF’s N1.5 billion commitment to establish additional stabilization centers in rural areas, strengthen community-based management of acute malnutrition, and implement preventive measures to address food insecurity.
This collaborative emergency response marks a crucial step in addressing one of Nigeria’s most severe child malnutrition crises. However, stakeholders emphasize that sustained investment, efficient coordination, and timely execution will be vital in saving Sokoto’s most vulnerable children from preventable starvation.