Federal Government Inaugurates National Advisory Committee On Micronutrient Deficiency

The Federal government has inaugurated the National Advisory Committee on Micronutrient Deficiency and Control to provide crucial advice to the government on priority actions necessary to address micronutrient deficiency in the country.

At the 2025 National Micronutrient Conference in Abuja which focused on “Strengthening Resilience Systems for Addressing Micronutrient Deficiencies in Nigeria the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate also launched an additional nutrition policy document to ensure timely and effective nutrition response in the country.

Micronutrient deficiency is defined as a lack of essential vitamins and minerals that are required in small amounts by the body for proper growth and development.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, said there was need for all stakeholders to work together to address the micronutrient deficiencies.

Professor Ali Pate noted that the multistakeholder , committee has the task to guide the implementation, monitoring of micronutrient progress.

”And in addition, the committee that we will inaugurate today, which is the National Advisory Committee on Micronutrient Deficiency and Control, is going to be multistakeholder, and the task is guiding the implementation, monitoring progress,  and advising government on the priority actions that are necessary to address micronutrient deficiency.”

According to the Minister, ”The committee will be critical in bringing evidence for the surveys,  2021 Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey, as well as the DHS.  And the membership of the committee is quite extensive.”

Professor Pate noted that the committee is chaired by the Director of Nutrition in the Federal Ministry of Health,  but with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security,  the Standard Organization of Nigeria,) as a regulator, the Primary Health Care Development Agency,  the Federal Competition on Consumer Protection Agency,   UNICEF, Gates, GAIN, Vitamin Angel, Nutrition International, Evidence Action, and so many other stakeholders, as well as the  academics.

”So that we pull together as a multistakeholder body to pull on this agenda to address the gaps that we’ve identified.  and as well as the body that we are commissioning,”

”Complementing what the Ministry of Agriculture has done, One is the Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation  Landscape Analysis Report,  which has characterized the landscape across our country in terms of how individual households and community institutions,  where they are and how we can promote them to accept  things like multiple micronutrient supplementation to improve pregnancy outcomes, to reduce maternal anemia.”

”If you reduce maternal anemia by a certain percentage, you can reduce child mortality automatically from that.  You use the risk of the woman also dying from postpartum hemorrhage. So there are multiple ramifications of addressing, let’s say, the micronutrient deficiency,  like anemia or colon deficiency among pregnant women, the Minister confirmed.

Addressing the gathering, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Isaaq Salako promised that the ministry would continue to prioritize nutrition as a cornerstone of human capital development.

”The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will therefore continue to prioritize nutrition as a cornerstone of human capital development, this is being done through initiatives such as the Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) for pregnant women, Vitamin A supplementation for children, Food fortification and salt iodization, Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition initiatives, and Partnerships for food diversity through locally produced nutrient-rich foods.”

”Collectively, we are demonstrating strong national ownership and accountability, however, we recognize that more must be done, particularly in strengthening food systems, expanding program coverage, working with sub-national governments, adopting a multi-sectoral approach and ensuring sustainability.”

”We will continue to work across sectors, across governments, and with all stakeholders to ensure that nutritional deficiencies that impairs active, health life and optimal development is eliminated from our society.”

Dr Salako noted that the health and future of Nigerians was profoundly influenced by nutrition, hence the need to use the platform to renew , resolve, mobilize resources, and scale up impactful nutrition actions across all levels.

”Let us use it to reaffirm our shared vision of a Nigeria where every child grows healthy, every woman thrives in pregnancy, and every family enjoys access to nutritious food. and so with peace and plenty, Nigeria may be blessed.”

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom said the conference is a platform for collective action. YOU CAN ALSO READ: Reps Probe $4.6b Health Grants Utilization Between 2021-2025

”It is a gathering of policy makers, researchers, development partners, academia, practitioners, the private sector, civil society and the media, all united by a shared commitment to  advancing the future of security and strengthening our health systems. ”

”Efficiencies in essential micronutrients such as iron, vitamin A, zinc, folate, vitamin B12 and others continue to undermine health, learning capacity and productivity, particularly  among women of a productive age and children under five.

”Behind every success story is a mother, a child, a person, and a future that must not be left to chance.  Underscore the urgency of this challenge, while Nigeria has recorded notable progress in a significant proportion of our population,  still does not receive adequate intake of critical micronutrients.”

On her part, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health Mrs. Uju Anwukah, noted that Nigeria faces triple burden of malnutrition.

In a message, the UNICEF Country Representative, Dr Wafaa Abdelatef said the conference would provide an opportunity to take stock, re-strategize, accelerate action against the hidden pandemic of micronutrient deficiencies.

”If we look at the recent demographic and Health survey, it shows encouraging improvement in routine immunization in under 5 mortality in skilled delivery.”

”I think as somebody serving here in Nigeria, I’m really proud of the leadership of the government and of the milestones that have been achieved under this leadership.”