The Aliko Dangote Foundion, ADF said it has recorded tremendous achievements in the Nutrition development landscape in Nigeria.

It is therefore poised to sustaining the drive towards realizing Nigeria’s Multi-Sectoral Plan of Action For Food and Nutrition (NMPFAN)20 21-2025 goals in line with the theme of the 53rd Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference sponsored by the Aliko Dangote Foundation.

The 5-Day event which took place in Abuja was organized by the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, NSN.

The Managing Director, ADF, Zouera Youssoufou said the foundation, under the able leadership of the foremost Philanthropist, Aliko Dangote, have been collaborating with NSN since 2017 to curb malnutrition and would continue to support stakeholders for appropriate solutions.

She said the organization of the Conference by NSN at this time marks a significant step in ADF’s quests to achieve the goals of Nigeria’s National Multi-Sectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition (NMPFAN) 2021-2025 as desired by the foremost Philanthropist, Aliko Dangote.

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Zouera listed collaborations/achievements by ADF to include the following-The Aliko Dangote Foundation Integrated Nutrition (ADFIN) programme designed and implemented in compliance with global best practices, in recognition of the multifaceted and interdependent causes of malnutrition like the difficult context in northern Nigeria, is planned to reach over 1 million children at the end of the first phase in 2025

The Partnership for Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria, (PANRiN) with the World Bank and BMGF for the provision of TA mechanism through a multi-donor trust fund (MTDF), informed the 235M nutrition International development (IDA) assistance to the Federal Government, leading to the provision of community-based services to 9.6 million women and children.

The multi sectoral
ANRiN Pilot project in Gombe, has reached 14,000 poor and vulnerable households receiving cash transfers, and home gardening

ADF catalyzed food fortification and nutrition across public and private sectors through the annual Food Processing and Nutrition Leadership CEO Forum in Nigeria with the
provision of fortified staple foods with micronutrients from an average of 50 per cent in 2018 to about 90 per cent in 2022 amongst others

Represented by the Director, Health and Nutrition, Dr. Francis Aminu, Zouera reminded the Conference that
“the consequences of malnutrition are profound, and proper nutrition is a fundamental right of Nigerians as the bedrock upon which its physical/health and economic prosperity is built.

Hence, the focus of ADF in nutrition with wraparound interventions to improve health, education, livelihood and empowerment opportunities for social change through strategic investments.

She urged the conference to seek solutions to closing the gaps of the nutrition workforce, share innovative ideas and collectively chart the part towards brighter and healthier future for all Nigerians in line with the theme of the Confrence
“Strengthening Nutrition Leadership and Workforce Capacity for Improved Health and Development in Nigeria ”

Speaking at the event the Minister for Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, said Nigeria loses $1.5bn of its Gross Domestic Product yearly due to micronutrient deficiencies and called for
coordinated efforts to tackle malnutrition in the Country.

The President, Nutrition Society of Nigeria, and Dean, College of Food Science and Human Ecology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Prof. Wasiu Akinloye O. Afolabi expressed gratitude to the Aliko Dangote Foundation for Sponsoring this year’s Nutritional Society of Nigeria’s Inter-Schools Debate to scale up nutrition.