The Adamawa State government has released N300 million as a matching grant for the Child Nutrition Fund, reinforcing efforts to tackle malnutrition across the state. The announcement came during the inauguration of the State Council on Nutrition under the Nutrition 774 Initiative.
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, represented by Deputy Governor Kaletapwa Farauta, said the administration has consistently increased budgetary allocations to nutrition over the past six years. He described malnutrition as a major barrier to education, productivity, and overall human development.
“Malnutrition is a silent calamity that impairs growth, learning, and cognitive ability. It threatens our human capital and undermines development,” he said.
Farauta urged local government chairmen to replicate the initiative at grassroots level, noting that the government remains committed to providing targeted support for vulnerable households.
Uju Vanstasia, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health and Focal Person on Nutrition at the Office of the Vice President, called malnutrition Nigeria’s most overlooked emergency. She stressed that it kills more dreams than conflict and cuts across religion, ethnicity, and region.
“One in every three Nigerian children under five is stunted, and nearly half of all child deaths are linked to malnutrition,” she said, urging increased investment. “For every $1 invested in nutrition, we gain $23 in economic returns — far higher than traditional infrastructure spending.”
The initiative is expected to strengthen human capital development, a key foundation for future productivity, workforce readiness, and economic growth in the state.
