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Canada announces historic investment in the global fight against malnutrition
February 6, 2025
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Unlocking Nigeria’s potential: Urgent action on malnutrition could save the economy $56B per year
New data reveals that accelerating efforts to combat malnutrition could save Nigeria at least US $56B annually. In the lead up to the N4G Summit, the Government of Nigeria, in partnership with the Government of Canada, Nutrition International and other stakeholders, held a high-level dialogue to examine the economic and human capital cost of inaction — underscoring the urgent need for increased investments to drive sustainable growth.
Posted on February 27, 2025
Abuja, NIGERIA — The Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with the Government of Canada and key stakeholders, convened a high-level dialogue to address the severe impact of malnutrition on the country’s economy and human capital. The event, a key milestone ahead of the upcoming Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit in Paris in March 2025, underscored the urgent need for increased investment in nutrition to prevent billions of dollars in economic losses.
New data revealed that undernutrition costs Nigeria an estimated USD $56 billion (₦83 trillion) annually, representing 12.2% of the country’s total income. Without decisive intervention, millions of children and women will continue to experience preventable health and developmental consequences, including stunting, anaemia, and low birthweight.
“The cost of not investing in nutrition is too high… This is a major setback for Nigeria’s workforce and economic productivity.
— Dr. Dylan Walters, Project Director, Health Economics, Nutrition International
The analysis of these economic and health impacts was conducted using the Nutrition International Cost of Inaction Tool — an online, evidence-based, and user-friendly analytical tool designed for country-level policymakers and advocates. This tool was created to rapidly generate estimates on the health, human capital and economic costs of inaction on stunting, low birthweight and anaemia (in women and children) for over 140 countries.
The cost of not investing in nutrition is simply too high,” said Dr. Dylan Walters, Project Director, Health Economics at Nutrition International. “Our analysis showed that every year in Nigeria, 2.4 million new cases of stunting contribute to nearly 249,000 child deaths, a loss of 23 million IQ points, and 3.7 million lost school years. This is a major setback for Nigeria’s workforce and economic productivity.”
Government leaders, policymakers, donors, and civil society representatives assessed Nigeria’s progress under the National Multi-Sectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition (NMPFAN) 2021–2025 and explored ways to bolster commitments ahead of the N4G Summit. The dialogue highlighted how strategic investments in nutrition could yield significant health and economic benefits.
“With the Nutrition for Growth Summit approaching, this is a pivotal moment for Nigeria to engage with all relevant stakeholders in the nutrition space to support the prioritization of investment in nutrition.”
— Dr. Sanjo Faniran, Director of Social Development, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning
“Nigeria has made remarkable progress in addressing malnutrition, but we must do more,” said Dr. Osita Okonkwo, Nutrition International’s Country Director for Nigeria. “With the Nutrition for Growth Summit ahead, this is a critical moment to turn commitments into action. Investing in nutrition is not just a moral imperative — it is an economic necessity. The cost of inaction is staggering, but the benefits of targeted nutrition interventions are transformative.”
The economic and health case for nutrition investment
Government initiatives, with support from international partners, led to notable progress in 2023-24:
- 9.4 million children under five received two doses of vitamin A, reducing mortality risk by up to 12%.
- 26.4 million doses of iron and folic acid were provided to pregnant women in public health facilities, strengthening maternal and infant health.
- Nearly 800,000 caregivers of children under five were trained on diarrhoea prevention and management.
Key findings from recent analyses indicated that:
- Meeting the 2030 World Health Assembly (WHA) global nutrition target for stunting would avert 4 million cases, prevent 144,000 child deaths, and save USD $28 billion in economic losses annually.
- Achieving the anaemia target could prevent 14 million cases annually, reducing economic losses by USD $1.6 billion.
- Meeting the exclusive breastfeeding target could avert 3 million cases of diarrhoea, preventing 30,000 deaths and USD $6 billion in economic losses.
“Investing in nutrition is not just a moral imperative — it is an economic necessity. The cost of inaction is staggering, but the benefits of targeted nutrition interventions are transformative.”
— Dr. Osita Okonkwo, Country Director for Nigeria, Nutrition International
“With the Nutrition for Growth Summit approaching, this is a pivotal moment for Nigeria to engage with all relevant stakeholders in the nutrition space to support the prioritization of investment in nutrition,” said Dr. Sanjo Faniran, Director of Social Development at the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning. “Strengthening our commitments and engaging key stakeholders ensured that we not only saved lives but also built a more resilient economy.”
The event featured plenary discussions with government officials, donor agencies and civil society leaders, outlining the roles of key stakeholders and the opportunities presented by N4G commitments. A communiqué detailing Nigeria’s renewed commitment to nutrition investment and policy action, which will be shared at the upcoming Nutrition for Growth Summit, was issued at the conclusion of the dialogue.
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