The National Economic Council (NEC) has approved the N-774 program as a key initiative to combat malnutrition in communities across Nigeria.
The decision was made during the council’s 144th meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.
The endorsement follows a presentation by Professor Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, on the critical state of nutrition in Nigeria.
In response, the NEC committed to prioritising nutrition interventions in the 2025 budget at federal, state, and local government levels, ensuring adequate funding to achieve the country’s nutrition goals.
To further strengthen efforts, the council called on development partners to provide financial and technical support, particularly for annual results monitoring and expanding successful nutrition interventions.
The NEC also emphasized the need to enhance the effectiveness and funding of State and Local Government Committees on Food and Nutrition.
It advocated for broad support for the establishment and operation of Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) task forces at sub-national levels to ensure proper coordination, monitoring, and reporting.
Additionally, in response to a presentation by Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, regarding cases of vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) in Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara states, the NEC resolved to form a Committee on the Eradication of Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus.
This committee will be chaired by the Governor of Gombe State and will include the governors of the five affected states as members.
Other members will include the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, the Director-General of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, representatives from the NEC Secretariat, UNICEF, the Special Advisers to the President on NEC and Climate Change, the Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, a representative of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, and the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
The committee is tasked with providing monthly updates to the NEC on its progress in eradicating the vaccine-derived poliovirus and addressing malnutrition issues.
