In a renewed push to tackle the rising scourge of malnutrition across Nigeria, Vice President Kashim Shettima on Friday inaugurated the Strategic Board of the Nutrition 774 Initiative, describing it as a critical national response to a silent yet dangerous emergency that undermines lives and development.

Speaking at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Shettima said the board is more than an advisory committee.
“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,” the Vice President declared.

Urging members to see their role as a national call to action, Shettima said, “This is not a tea-drinking exercise. It is a race against time to save lives and safeguard our future.”

He called on state governors and local government chairmen to drive the implementation of the initiative, noting that leadership at sub-national levels would be pivotal to its success.

The Nutrition 774 Initiative, according to the Vice President, is the Tinubu administration’s bold response to a “quiet emergency” that cuts across homes, schools, hospitals, and IDP camps.

“A malnourished population is an unproductive one, and an unproductive population drags down the wheels of progress,” he warned.

The initiative, he said, aims to consolidate fragmented efforts, eliminate duplication, and establish a unified framework for national nutrition and food security interventions.

Also speaking at the event, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, commended the Vice President for spearheading efforts on food and nutrition security.

He said Shettima’s commitment was rooted in his lived experience and an understanding of what was at stake.
“You grew up in a peaceful Borno and saw it fall apart due to a mix of factors. You also know what it took to begin the journey of rebuilding,” Bagudu noted. “So when you drive these interventions, you do so from a place of deep understanding and purpose.”

Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, highlighted the link between malnutrition and poverty, especially in households led by women and children affected by conflict.

“You find homes headed by an eleven-year-old because both parents have been lost. How do they survive? Economic empowerment for women must be part of this strategy,” she stressed.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Hon. Chike Okafor, expressed the legislature’s full support for the programme, stating that the National Assembly would provide all necessary backing to ensure its success.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Mrs. Uju Anwuka, emphasised the importance of tackling malnutrition as part of the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

She noted that the Nutrition 774 Initiative supports national development goals by investing in human capital, reducing hunger and poverty, and promoting health equity.

“With strong leadership, enabling policies, strategic partnerships, and community engagement, this initiative will deliver measurable impact across the country,” she said.

The inauguration marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s national nutrition roadmap, underscoring the administration’s resolve to build a healthier, more productive population through coordinated grassroots action.