Commitment to Breastfeeding as a National Priority
The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its strong dedication to promoting optimal breastfeeding practices, recognizing it as a fundamental component of national health, nutrition security, and sustainable development. This commitment was highlighted during a high-level event at the National Hospital in Abuja, where the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, presented a comprehensive national agenda aimed at scaling up breastfeeding practices and strengthening support systems.
Prof. Pate emphasized that this year’s World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), themed “Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems,” serves as a strategic call to action for all stakeholders. He called on governments, health professionals, employers, families, and communities to collaborate in building long-term structures that empower mothers and protect every Nigerian child’s right to nutrition and survival.
Breastfeeding, according to Prof. Pate, is not solely the responsibility of women but a shared obligation. It must be treated as a public health priority, a national development strategy, and a climate resilience measure. The benefits of breastfeeding extend beyond infant feeding, delivering profound health, social, and economic advantages. It reduces infant morbidity and mortality, supports maternal health by lowering the risk of certain cancers, lowers household medical expenses, boosts workplace productivity, and contributes to higher human capital and long-term economic gains.
Despite these benefits, the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) reveals alarming statistics. Only 29% of Nigerian infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, far below the global target of 50% and Nigeria’s national target of 80% by 2030. Moreover, only 23% of babies are breastfed within one hour of birth, a significant decline from previous years.
“The statistics reveal a serious gap in supportive environments for breastfeeding mothers, both in healthcare settings and at home,” Prof. Pate noted. To address this, the federal government has invested in training healthcare workers, including doctors, midwives, nurses, and community health workers. Additionally, initiatives such as baby-friendly hospital programs, a 112-day paid maternity leave for federal civil servants, and two-hour daily breastfeeding breaks until the baby turns one have been implemented. A 14-day paternity leave for men has also been introduced to support mothers.
Prof. Pate also highlighted the government’s enforcement of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (BMS) through NAFDAC to curb aggressive promotion of formula and protect exclusive breastfeeding. He concluded by stating that if breastfeeding is prioritized, it will take a giant step towards ending malnutrition, reducing poverty, building a resilient climate-smart nation, and securing a healthier, more prosperous Nigeria.
Following Prof. Pate’s address, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, emphasized the need for Nigeria to elevate breastfeeding as a national development imperative. He described breastfeeding as “nature’s first climate-smart food system,” noting that it produces zero waste, requires no packaging or transportation, and has no carbon footprint. In contrast, formula feeding contributes to environmental degradation, increases family expenses, and heightens infant vulnerability.
Dr. Salako called on health facilities to adopt and implement baby-friendly practices, employers to provide enabling environments for nursing mothers, community leaders to mobilize households to normalize breastfeeding, and policymakers to increase budgetary support for maternal and child nutrition programs. He urged all stakeholders to identify their roles and support mothers to protect the future of Nigeria.
The WHO Representative, Dr. Pindar Wakawa, reiterated the importance of breastfeeding as a moral, economic, and environmental imperative. He urged governments at all levels to invest in systems that support every woman to breastfeed, from antenatal care through to the workplace.