Abuja, June 21, 2025 – In a determined effort to confront Nigeria’s widespread malnutrition crisis, Vice President Kashim Shettima has inaugurated the Strategic Board of the Nutrition 774 Initiative, describing it as a life-saving intervention by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu aimed at safeguarding the health and future of Nigerians across all local government areas.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the Vice President declared the board a critical tool in the government’s strategy to combat what he termed a national emergency that threatens both human development and national security. According to him, the board is more than an advisory body — it is a tactical unit designed to drive aggressive, coordinated, and results-oriented action against malnutrition.
“This Strategic Board is not a ceremonial committee; it is a war room, assembled to win the battle against malnutrition in every corner of this country,” Shettima said.
He charged the members of the newly constituted board to approach their responsibilities with urgency, describing their appointment as a national duty. “This is not a tea-drinking exercise. This is a national call to duty. A race against time. A mission to save lives and safeguard our future,” the Vice President declared.
The Nutrition 774 Initiative aims to implement community-based nutritional interventions across all of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas. It is designed to deliver sustainable solutions, guided by real-time data, public-private collaboration, and focused engagement with health systems, traditional institutions, and civil society.
The strategic board is composed of experts in nutrition, health, policy, and development, and is expected to drive measurable progress in child nutrition, maternal health, and food security outcomes. Its responsibilities include oversight of implementation frameworks, coordination with sub-national actors, and regular monitoring and evaluation of program impact.
Vice President Shettima reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to eliminating hunger and reducing mortality linked to malnutrition, especially among vulnerable groups. He urged all partners and stakeholders to rally around the initiative and ensure its success, emphasizing that the future of millions of children depends on the decisions and actions taken now.
