The World Bank has approved a $50 million funding package for Nigeria under the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) Project 2.0 to combat pressing nutrition challenges.
The announcement was made by Ndiame Diop, the World Bank’s Country Director, during a meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The ANRiN Project 2.0, launched under the World Bank’s crisis response framework, aims to improve nutrition for vulnerable communities across Nigeria. “The World Bank has allocated $50 million under the ANRiN 2.0 program as part of its crisis response,” Diop stated, highlighting the importance of Nigeria’s government’s role in financing nutrition.
Trina Haque, the World Bank’s Practice Manager for Health, Nutrition, and Population, emphasized the importance of nutrition education for children and adolescents, noting that early nutrition is crucial for child development. She advocated for expanding educational initiatives to tackle malnutrition at its core.
Vice President Shettima introduced Nigeria’s N-774 Initiative, a new program targeting nutrition needs across all 774 local government areas (LGAs) in the country. The initiative, developed as ANRiN nears completion, is part of the administration’s push for community-focused, sustainable nutrition solutions.
“The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is driving a paradigm shift in nutrition programs through locally-owned solutions,” Shettima said, calling for a Nigerian-led approach to address malnutrition. “Malnutrition is a Nigerian problem that needs a Nigerian solution,” he added.
The N-774 Initiative seeks to integrate nutrition goals across sectors such as education, agriculture, health, and social protection to create a comprehensive, sustainable impact. According to Shettima, the initiative is tailored to meet the unique needs of each LGA, promoting local ownership and enhancing community-driven solutions.
Outlining the implementation strategy, Shettima emphasized the importance of political will and collaboration with international partners to reverse Nigeria’s negative nutrition indicators. “With sustained support from federal and sub-national governments, alongside our international partners, we are confident this initiative will lead to significant improvements in community health outcomes,” he said.
