CSOs Warn Nigeria’s $1trn Economy Dream at Risk as Child Stunting Hits 40%

Civil society organisations working on early childhood development have warned that Nigeria’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy could be undermined by the country’s persistent child malnutrition and stunting crisis.

The organisations said Nigeria’s failure to adequately protect and support breastfeeding is costing the country an estimated $12 billion to $21 billion in future economic losses, while contributing to about 103,742 child deaths annually.

In a statement to mark World Breastfeeding Week, the groups called on the Federal Government to treat early childhood development (ECD) as economic infrastructure rather than social welfare, arguing that investment in children’s health, nutrition, early learning and safety is critical to building the workforce that will drive Nigeria’s economy by 2050.

According to the analysis, only 29 per cent of Nigerian infants below six months are exclusively breastfed, while the average duration of exclusive breastfeeding is just 2.8 months.

The groups noted that exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months provides critical protection against infections, diarrhoea and pneumonia, while poor nutrition during a child’s first 2,000 days can contribute to stunting, wasting, impaired brain development and learning difficulties.

They further warned that Nigeria’s stunting rate has remained between 37 and 40 per cent for two decades, affecting roughly four in every 10 children under five and costing the economy an estimated $4 billion to $6 billion annually.

The organisations argued that investing in young mothers and creating conditions that enable them to breastfeed successfully would strengthen Nigeria’s human capital, workforce productivity and long-term economic growth.

“A well-nourished child is more likely to learn effectively, develop the capabilities to participate productively in the economy, and contribute to national prosperity,” the statement quoted Enene Ejembi of Verbatim Virtual Solutions as saying.

Fragmented policies threatening child development

The CSOs identified fragmentation across government ministries and agencies as a major obstacle to achieving better early childhood development outcomes.

They said responsibility for ECD is currently spread across different institutions, resulting in policies and interventions that are often poorly coordinated and may undermine one another.

Dr Amenze Eguavoen of Lluvia Health Organisation stressed that breastfeeding could not be treated as a standalone intervention because mothers require knowledge, support, enabling environments and responsive health systems to breastfeed successfully.

To address the challenge and prepare the workforce required for the 2050 economy, the organisations proposed three major reforms.

They called for the establishment of a multi-sectoral ECD council with real budgetary authority to coordinate spending across ministries.

They also advocated results-based financing that would measure combined outcomes in nutrition, early learning, healthcare and child safety rather than funding isolated programmes.

In addition, they urged government to establish enabling conditions for breastfeeding, including adequate paid maternity leave, workplace breastfeeding support and maternal education, warning that women should not be forced back to work only weeks after childbirth at the expense of their children’s development.

The organisations described breastfeeding as one of the most important interventions for infant survival globally, noting that it has the potential to avert nearly 823,000 infant deaths annually.

They also linked breastfeeding to the Nurturing Care Framework, which brings together nutrition, healthcare, responsive caregiving, security and early learning.

The statement was signed by Enene Ejembi of Verbatim Virtual Solutions, Omolara Otujo of Community Child Education and Development, Dr Amenze Eguavoen of Lluvia Health Organisation, Ndidichukwu Odoh of C-WINS, and the Child & Youth Protection Foundation (CYPF).