The First Lady of Jigawa State has called on both government agencies and private organisations to create breastfeeding-friendly environments in workplaces to encourage exclusive breastfeeding among working mothers. She made the appeal during the 2025 World Breastfeeding Week celebration in Kachi Town, stressing that breast milk is “the first vaccine every child needs” and remains vital for infant survival, growth, and development.
Represented by the wife of the Deputy Governor, she noted that many working mothers face the difficult choice of either caring for their newborns or retaining their jobs due to a lack of supportive workplace facilities. She urged employers to set up dedicated breastfeeding rooms and adopt flexible policies that will allow mothers to feed their babies without compromising their professional responsibilities.
The First Lady highlighted the numerous benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, including boosting a child’s immunity, reducing infant mortality, enhancing brain development, and providing a natural, cost-effective source of nutrition. She pointed out that Nigeria’s exclusive breastfeeding rate stands at only 34 percent for infants under six months, according to UNICEF data, falling short of the global target of 50 percent.
Health experts present at the event supported the call, emphasising that increased public awareness and the adoption of family-friendly workplace policies across both the formal and informal sectors are crucial to improving breastfeeding rates and reducing child malnutrition in the country.