Worldwide, 42.8 million children under five suffer from wasting, a severe form of malnutrition. At least 148 million more are stunted as a result of chronic undernutrition, making malnutrition one of the world’s pressing health concerns.
In Nigeria, an acute manifestation of wasting can be seen, with around 2 million children affected, leading to 33% of deaths among children under five each year. A confluence of poverty, low dietary diversity, and recurrent food insecurity has raised the death toll to 652 children in just the first half of 2025.
In Katsina State, the state government is leveraging data to tackle the crisis. Recently, it launched a comprehensive survey to assess malnutrition among children under five and measure food security across its 34 Local Government Areas.
According to the government, the data will help identify vulnerable communities and guide targeted solutions.
The survey will cover 8,500 households, using 200 trained enumerators, supported with supervisors and data monitors. It is designed not only to diagnose the current scale of malnutrition but also to track household vulnerability and resilience over time.
Beyond mortality, malnutrition presents lifelong damage such as weak immunity and higher risk of chronic diseases later in life.
It also impairs brain development, leading to poor school performance and reduced earning potential. Studies show that stunted children may earn up to 20% less as adults, leaving families and communities in a cycle of poverty.
Katsina’s response also includes agricultural interventions such as subsidised fertiliser distribution and 400 newly procured tractors, which are targeted at bolstering food production in a state where most households depend on farming.
Still, challenges remain. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, in 2024, nearly 265 million people in Nigeria were at risk of food insecurity.
Northern farming communities face added pressures from banditry, displacement, and climate shocks, which continually undermine food availability and access.
Accurate local data would help policymakers channel resources to affected LGAs in the state, monitor progress, and evaluate the efficacy of agricultural and nutrition programmes.
However, the impact depends largely on the government’s will to translate data into sustained action. Without long-term commitment, sufficient funding, and multi-sector collaboration, the findings risk becoming another underutilised report in the fight against child malnutrition.
Notwithstanding, the scale of Katsina’s survey offers a critical opportunity to move from reactionary responses to a proactive, evidence-based strategy—one that could reduce malnutrition, improve child survival, and set a model for other Nigerian states.
Worldwide, 42.8 million children under five suffer from wasting and 148 million are stunted due to malnutrition, a significant global health concern. In Nigeria, about 2 million children are affected by wasting, causing 33% of deaths in children under five annually. Contributing factors include poverty and food insecurity, with 652 child deaths reported in the first half of 2025. Katsina State is tackling this crisis through a survey assessing malnutrition among children under five and measuring food security in its Local Government Areas, utilizing data to identify vulnerable communities and guide solutions.
The survey involves 8,500 households, using trained enumerators, supervisors, and data monitors, to not only diagnose current malnutrition but also track household vulnerability over time. Malnutrition leads to weak immunity, chronic diseases, impaired brain development, and reduced earning potential, exacerbating cycles of poverty. Katsina is also implementing agricultural interventions, like subsidized fertilizers and tractors, to enhance food production in farming-dependent households.
Despite efforts, challenges persist with nearly 265 million Nigerians at risk of food insecurity in 2024. Northern communities face additional pressures from banditry, displacement, and climate shocks. Accurate local data is essential for effective policy and program evaluation, though success depends on the government's commitment to long-term, multi-sector action. Katsina’s survey offers an opportunity to shift from reactive responses to a proactive, evidence-based strategy to combat child malnutrition and improve survival, potentially serving as a model for other states.
