The Lagos State Government has inaugurated Local Government and Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Committees on Food and Nutrition as part of efforts to address persistent nutritional challenges at the grassroots.
Speaking at the inauguration held in Ikeja on Wednesday, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget (MEPB), Mrs Olayinka Ojo, said child stunting remains a major concern in Nigeria, driven largely by malnutrition.
Represented by a Director in the ministry, Mr Saheed Olowonisaye, Ojo cited 2024 data from the Federal Ministry of Health indicating that child stunting stands at about 40 per cent nationwide, with some northern states recording rates above 60 per cent, while 8 per cent of children are wasted.
She noted that malnutrition continues to pose a significant public health challenge, adding that Lagos, despite its status as Nigeria’s most populous state and a leading mega city, still faces worrying nutrition indices, including a stunting rate of 39.4 per cent.
“Malnutrition manifests in various forms, including undernutrition, overnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. Ensuring the nutritional well-being of citizens is critical to human development and overall socio-economic progress,” Olowonisaye said.
He emphasised the strong link between malnutrition and underdevelopment, noting that Lagos’ vision of becoming Africa’s model smart city and a global economic hub requires sustained investments in nutrition-focused interventions.
He highlighted some of the state’s initiatives, including the introduction of six months maternity leave for civil servants in 2014 to promote exclusive breastfeeding, as well as the rollout of the Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition strategy across tertiary and secondary health facilities.
Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of Olorunda LCDA said the establishment of the committees at the local level would ensure that nutrition programmes are effectively implemented across communities.
He assured that council authorities would support, fund and collaborate to ensure the success of the initiative, particularly in reaching underserved and rural populations.
In her remarks, the Director of Family Health and Nutrition, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Folashade Oludara, described the inauguration as a continuation of efforts made over the past decade to institutionalise nutrition interventions across the state.
She explained that Lagos had adopted a multisectoral approach through the State Committee on Food and Nutrition and was now extending the framework to local governments and LCDAs to strengthen coordination and impact.
Oludara stressed that nutrition must be integrated into healthcare delivery, noting that effective treatment of many health conditions often requires proper dietary management alongside medical care.
Similarly, the Secretary of the Lagos State Committee on Food and Nutrition, Mrs Taiwo Fadairo, reiterated that malnutrition remains a complex issue driven by multiple factors across households, systems and environments.
She called for stronger collaboration across all levels of government and stakeholders, stressing that coordinated, multisectoral action is essential to improving nutrition outcomes statewide.
