CS-SUNN Urges Increased Grassroots Funding to Tackle Rising Malnutrition in Kano

The Civil Society–Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has called on governments at all levels to significantly improve budgetary allocation for nutrition interventions at the grassroots, warning that rising malnutrition rates in Kano State demand urgent and coordinated action.

The appeal was made by CS-SUNN Programme Officer, Oguntade Isaac Dare, during a high-level engagement meeting held in Kano.

The event brought together Local Government Chairmen, Leaders of Legislative Councils, representatives from the State Planning and Budget Ministry, nutrition officers, and other key stakeholders.

Oguntade said the dialogue was part of efforts to strengthen local government commitment to nutrition programming and ensure increased funding to reduce malnutrition across the state.

“Kano State has 44 Local Government Areas,” he noted. “We commenced the pilot project in Kano Municipal, Kumbotso, Tarauni, and Nassarawa Local Government Areas. The goal is to extend the initiative to the remaining LGAs to improve nutrition outcomes and boost funding commitments.”

He explained that CS-SUNN aims to use sustained advocacy and dialogue to eradicate malnutrition at the grassroots level by encouraging local authorities to prioritize nutrition in their annual budgets and development plans.

A representative from the Kano State Ministry of Health, Auwal Aliyu Ahmad, delivered a presentation titled Understanding Nutrition, where he highlighted disturbing data on child malnutrition in the state.

According to him, recent data indicates that 51 percent of children in Kano State are stunted or malnourished  a situation he described as alarming and requiring immediate intervention.

“The figures show a steady increase in malnutrition cases, particularly among children under five. Without deliberate investment in nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive programmes, the situation may worsen,” Ahmad cautioned.

He stressed the importance of proper maternal nutrition, exclusive breastfeeding, and improved household feeding practices, alongside adequate funding for community-based nutrition services.

Participants at the meeting described the engagement as timely and necessary.

Garba Bello Ibrahim and Mariya Tudunmultala, who attended the session, commended CS-SUNN for convening the dialogue, noting that grassroots sensitization and stronger political will are critical to addressing malnutrition in rural communities.

Goodwill messages were delivered by several local government officials, including the Director of Personnel Management of Tarauni Local Government, Tijjani Madaki Guliya; PRS Nassarawa, Aminu Yahaya; and the DPM of Kumbotso Local Government, Mustapha Uba Minjibir.

The officials pledged continued collaboration and expressed readiness to integrate nutrition priorities into local development frameworks.