The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has reported that at least 5.4 million children under the age of five are experiencing acute malnutrition in Nigeria’s Northwest and Northeast regions.
This information was disclosed on Wednesday evening by Cristian Munduate, UNICEF’s Representative in Nigeria, during a press briefing held at the Command Guest House in Gusau, Zamfara State.
Munduate emphasized the urgent crisis impacting millions of children in Zamfara and throughout the country.
She stated, “The numbers we face are staggering, nearly 5.4 million children under five in the northwest and northeast are suffering from acute malnutrition, with projections indicating an additional one million cases by April 2025.”
According to the UNICEF representative, Zamfara has a population of 1.2 million children.
“Of these, 250,000 children suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition, which means that one in every 10 children is staring at death.”
She further noted, “Wasting affects one in 10 children, while stunting among children aged 0 to 5 years is at an alarming 45.2 per cent.” Munduate went on to share some concerning statistics:
“The neonatal mortality rate is 42 per 1,000 live births, only 21.5 per cent of pregnant women attended 4+ antenatal visits, and institutional deliveries stand at a mere 15 per cent.” Additionally, she revealed that out of 62,000 pregnant women, only 13 per cent have access to skilled birth attendants.
“Immunisation rates remain critically low, with Penta 3 coverage at just 9.6 per cent.” The situation for education is equally dire, with over 700,000 children—62 per cent—out of school, and 60 per cent of girls facing child marriage, which continues the cycle of poverty.
