The Federal Government has called on stakeholders to strengthen the enforcement of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes as part of efforts to improve breastfeeding practices and tackle child malnutrition across Nigeria.
The appeal was made on Monday in Abuja by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, during the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week celebration and the launch of the First 1,000 Days of Life Nutrition Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) Campaign.
Represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, the minister said the campaign was designed to encourage exclusive breastfeeding and better nutrition during the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, describing the period as crucial to physical growth, brain development, long-term health and future productivity.
The 2026 World Breastfeeding Week is themed, “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works.”
Pate warned that inadequate nutrition during this stage of life could result in permanent effects such as stunted growth, poor cognitive development, weakened immunity and lower economic productivity later in life.
He said the theme underscored the importance of breastfeeding as one of the most effective and cost-efficient interventions for improving child survival and building healthier families and communities.
According to him, strengthening what already works requires stronger policies, improved health services, breastfeeding-friendly workplaces, supportive communities and full implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.
The minister noted that Nigeria continues to grapple with multiple forms of malnutrition, including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, overweight and obesity.
Although almost all Nigerian mothers breastfeed, he said optimal breastfeeding practices remain low. He disclosed that while about 95 per cent of mothers breastfeed, only 36 per cent begin breastfeeding within the first hour after delivery, and just 29 per cent exclusively breastfeed their babies for the recommended first six months.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding, especially during the critical first 1,000 days of life.
Delivering the keynote address, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Uju Rochas-Anwukah, described breast milk as one of the most effective public health interventions available.
She said the week’s theme should inspire families, communities and governments to strengthen support systems for exclusive breastfeeding, noting that breast milk contains all the nutrients infants require during their first six months.
Rochas-Anwukah disclosed that Vice-President Kashim Shettima had directed that breastfeeding be treated as a national investment rather than simply a maternal decision.
She stressed that the campaign should reach every part of the country through the Nutrition 774 initiative, extending to all local government areas, wards, primary healthcare centres and households.
Also speaking, UNICEF Nigeria Deputy Representative Rownak Khan described exclusive breastfeeding as a child’s first defence against illness, malnutrition and preventable deaths.
She added that breastfeeding contributes significantly to learning ability, productivity and human capital development, while evidence shows that expanding the practice could save hundreds of thousands of maternal and child lives and improve children’s cognitive development.
The Director of Nutrition at the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Clementina Okoro, urged greater support for nursing mothers.
Representing the National Committee on Food and Nutrition, she called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to promote, protect and sustain breastfeeding across the country.
Similarly, Executive Secretary of Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), Sunday Okoronkwo, represented by Programme Manager Ridwan Awosanya, described exclusive breastfeeding as a cornerstone of human capital development and sustainable national growth.
He urged governments, employers, development partners, communities and the private sector to implement policies that support early initiation of breastfeeding, six months of exclusive breastfeeding and continued breastfeeding in line with international recommendations.
FG Urges Stakeholders to Enforce Breastfeeding Code
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