The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Hon. Chike Okafor Ph.D, has reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to advancing critical legislative reforms aimed at combating malnutrition and food insecurity in Nigeria.
Speaking during a high-level meeting with Vice-President Kashim Shettima at the State House, Abuja on Wednesday, Hon. Okafor emphasized the legislature’s pivotal role in ensuring that every Nigerian has access to proper nutrition.
According to him, the House Committee is actively reviewing and amending existing laws to align with global best practices, particularly in areas such as maternity leave extension, food safety regulations, and taxation policies affecting food distribution.
“We engaged the Conference of Speakers of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, and today, we are happy to report that all state assemblies now have committees on nutrition and food security,” Hon. Okafor announced.
He further highlighted key legislative priorities under consideration, including extending maternity leave from three to six months to improve infant nutrition, regulating the sale of bulk and potentially adulterated vegetable oil in open markets, and addressing multiple taxations on food products transported across different regions of the country.
Hon. Okafor, who is also the Chairman of the National Legislative Network on Nutrition and Food Security, commended Vice-President Shettima for his leadership in championing the Nutrition 774 Initiative, a government-led intervention aimed at enhancing coordination, financing, and accountability in nutrition policies nationwide.
“We believe that this initiative will bridge the missing gaps in our nutrition interventions so far, being a bottom-up approach,” Okafor stated.
Vice-President Shettima, in his remarks, stressed the urgent need for action, warning that malnutrition is intricately linked to national security, economic growth, and social stability.
He charged lawmakers to go beyond policy discussions and ensure swift execution of nutrition-focused programs.
“For too long, our responses to malnutrition have been fragmented, donor-driven, and inconsistent. Nutrition 774 changes that. It is government-led, government-funded, and government-implemented because we understand that food security cannot be outsourced,” Shettima said.
He further acknowledged the critical role of the legislature in making the initiative a success, urging lawmakers to push for legal reforms that support improved infant nutrition and remove tax barriers hindering food affordability.
The meeting also had in attendance several key legislators and committee members, including Hon. Michael Tolulope Ige, Majority Leader of the Ekiti State House of Assembly and Chairperson of the Chairmen of the Committees of Nutrition and Food Security in the state Houses of Assembly, Hon. Bassey Akiba (Calabar Municipal/Odukpani Federal Constituency), Hon. Harrison Anozie Nwadike (Nkwerre/Isu/Nwangele/Njaba Federal Constituency), Hon. Muhammad Aminu Ibrahim (Malumfashi/Kafur Federal Constituency), Hon. Haruna Paul Gowon (Bassa/Dekina Federal Constituency), and Hon. Akin Rotimi (Spokesperson of the House of the Representatives, representing Ekiti North Federal Constituency).
Hon. Ige, in his remarks, highlighted the significance of state-level legislative engagement in strengthening nutrition policies across Nigeria.
“The NLNN strengthens the collective implementation of policy frameworks. It has also built our capacity on nutrition-related issues and the economic implications of nutrition. Also, the inauguration of nutrition committees at the state assemblies has created a dedicated approach for the advocacy of nutrition programs at the state level,” he noted.
Hon. Chike Okafor’s committee continues to drive legislative reforms in nutrition and food security, focusing on translating policies into concrete action that will improve and combat malnutrition, further enhancing food security for millions of Nigerians.
