The three levels of government in Nigeria have been asked to support women so that children can have a healthy start in life through proper breastfeeding.
Ms Mabel Ade, Executive Director of Adinya Arise Foundation (AAF), made this appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
Ade spoke as part of activities marking World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), which is celebrated every year from August 1 to 7 in more than 120 countries.
She said, “This World Breastfeeding Week, we should support mothers in places like Borno and Benue, so they can breastfeed their children properly and give them a good start in life.
“Breastfeeding Week is not just a celebration; it reminds us how important breastfeeding is for the health and growth of children and their mothers.
“In Nigeria, where many people face hardship, breastfeeding has become not just a health choice but a survival strategy and a key part of national development.”
Ade explained that when mothers exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months, and continue breastfeeding while giving other foods, they give their children a strong foundation for life.
“Breastfeeding helps protect babies from illnesses and malnutrition. It also benefits mothers by helping with natural birth spacing and allowing their bodies to recover after childbirth,” she added.
She was concerned that, according to UNICEF, only 29 per cent of Nigerian babies are exclusively breastfed. Nigeria also has the highest number of malnourished children in the world.
Ade pointed out that many mothers, especially those in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, face serious malnutrition themselves, making breastfeeding difficult.
“In Benue State, attacks on farming communities have forced many families into IDP camps. These camps are overcrowded with pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children who lack enough food, healthcare, or shelter,” she said.
She added that Borno State faces similar problems, where ongoing conflict has displaced millions of people and left health services overstretched or unavailable.
Ade stressed that mothers who are malnourished, living with HIV/AIDS, or staying in remote villages and IDP camps should be supported to breastfeed their children.
“Poor nutrition in early childhood can lead to lifelong problems like poor learning abilities, low productivity, and more health issues later in life.
“Mothers also suffer from weak immune systems, higher risks of dying during childbirth, and falling deeper into poverty,” she said.
Ade warned that if Nigeria fails to promote breastfeeding, especially in places affected by emergencies like Borno and Benue, the country’s future development will be harmed.
However, she believes that the situation can still be improved with the right actions.
She called for governments at all levels to make exclusive breastfeeding and proper feeding of young children a top priority in their health and emergency plans.
Ade recommended providing food and micronutrient supplements for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, especially in IDP camps and rural areas.
She also urged the government to expand the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, enforce breastfeeding-friendly workplace policies, and extend paid maternity leave to six months.
She suggested community-based counselling for breastfeeding mothers and called for including Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) in humanitarian programs in states like Benue and Borno.
Ade also said Nigeria should create breastfeeding support programs that are sensitive to the needs of mothers living with HIV, in line with WHO and national guidelines.
She encouraged the government to design targeted outreach programs for rural women, displaced mothers, young mothers, and mothers with disabilities who face special challenges in breastfeeding.
“In a country where many mothers and children struggle to survive, supporting breastfeeding is one of the cheapest and best ways to build a healthier and stronger Nigeria,” Ade concluded.
