.Back in Abuja after three-day Nigeria–Ethiopia nutrition leadership exchange
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
Vice President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria will deepen the implementation of the Nutrition 774 Initiative with practical lessons from Ethiopia’s experience in tackling malnutrition, strengthening food systems and coordinating nutrition interventions across different levels of government.
The Vice President said the knowledge gained from the three-day Nigeria–Ethiopia Nutrition Leadership Exchange would be adapted to Nigeria’s realities, particularly in strengthening collaboration among the federal government, states and local governments to improve nutrition outcomes at the community and household levels.
Shettima spoke as he returned to Abuja yesterday after leading Nigeria’s delegation to the leadership exchange in Addis Ababa and Oromia, Ethiopia, themed ‘Moving the Needle on Nutrition’.
During the visit, the Vice President according to a statement issued by his Media Assistant, Stanley Nkwocha, held a bilateral meeting with Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Temesgen Tiruneh, where both leaders reviewed bilateral relations and explored opportunities for deeper cooperation in agriculture, trade, investment, food security, aviation and other areas of mutual interest.
At the opening session of the exchange, Shettima emphasised the value of African countries learning from one another, noting that Ethiopia’s Seqota Declaration and Nigeria’s Nutrition 774 Initiative provide useful platforms for sharing home-grown approaches to addressing malnutrition.
He also highlighted Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen nutrition financing, accountability and subnational implementation, stressing that improved nutrition is critical to human capital development, productivity and economic growth.
On the second day of the programme, the Vice President led governors, ministers and other stakeholders on field engagements across Oromia focused on agriculture value-chain transformation.
The delegation visited wheat, banana and papaya farms, the “Bounty of the Basket” Training Centre and households in Mojo, as well as other facilities, to study how agricultural production, food systems and value-chain development are being linked to improved nutrition and livelihoods.
Shettima also visited the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute, where the delegation received briefings on the application of technology, data and innovation to development and public-sector delivery.
The final day of the exchange focused on early childhood development, with engagements covering pre-primary education, healthcare, daycare and parental coaching, followed by a working session on translating lessons from Ethiopia into concrete commitments for the Nutrition 774 Initiative.
The programme culminated in a Nigeria Country Session and a joint closing ceremony attended by Shettima and Deputy Prime Minister Tiruneh, during which both countries reaffirmed their commitment to sustained cooperation and knowledge exchange on nutrition and development.
Shettima said the real measure of the exchange would be how effectively the lessons are translated into improved outcomes for Nigerian families, particularly women and children, through stronger implementation of Nutrition 774 across the country.