The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has pledged ₦1.5 billion (approximately $1 million USD) in matched funding to combat the growing malnutrition crisis in Sokoto State, situated in Nigeria’s north-western region.
This financial commitment forms part of a broader humanitarian effort involving UNICEF, the European Union (EU), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and the Nigerian government. The initiative seeks to scale up resources and urgent interventions to prevent the deterioration of an already critical nutritional emergency.
The announcement was made during a courtesy visit to Governor Ahmed Aliyu by a delegation led by Nantewa Yilwatda, Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. The delegation underscored the severity of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in Sokoto, as revealed by the latest Nutrition SMART survey.
UNICEF’s Country Representative, Cristian Munduate, commended Sokoto State’s efforts, noting its own allocation of ₦500 million towards the response. She highlighted the importance of adopting sustainable, community-driven strategies to reach the most vulnerable children.
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Gautier Mignot, reinforced the EU’s commitment to supporting malnourished children in the region and praised Sokoto’s resolve in confronting the crisis.
Minister Yilwatda shared personal reflections from his childhood as an internally displaced person, drawing attention to the deep connection between insecurity and food scarcity. He further emphasised the importance of strengthening local systems and long-term solutions through collaborative efforts between government and humanitarian partners.
Governor Aliyu expressed gratitude to the visiting delegation and specifically acknowledged UNICEF’s substantial funding support. He reaffirmed his administration’s political commitment to ending malnutrition in the state.
The situation in Sokoto remains urgent, with development partners calling for coordinated action, policy support, and sustained investment to prevent further deterioration in child nutrition outcomes.
