Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to lead a high-level Nigerian delegation on a leadership exchange focused on strengthening nutrition programmes across the country.
The visit, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is scheduled to run from October 7 to 9, 2026, with Nigeria seeking to learn from Ethiopia’s experience in translating national nutrition commitments into coordinated action at state and local government levels.
Shettima is leading a delegation that includes seven state governors: Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Alex Otti of Abia, Bassey Otu of Cross River, Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno, Ademola Adeleke of Osun and Umar Namadi of Jigawa.
The delegation’s visit builds on the Federal Government’s Nutrition 774 Initiative, which was launched to accelerate nutrition interventions across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
The initiative places emphasis on stronger coordination between federal, state and local governments, as well as improved financing and accountability for nutrition programmes.
A major focus of the Ethiopia visit will be the country’s Seqota Declaration, a long-term national commitment launched in 2015 to eliminate stunting among children under two by 2030.
The Ethiopian model uses a multisectoral approach involving areas including health, agriculture, education, water, finance and social protection. Its implementation is structured around a 15-year roadmap divided into Innovation, Expansion and Scale-Up phases.
Nigeria’s delegation is expected to study how Ethiopia has translated political commitments on nutrition into programmes that are coordinated, financed and monitored at sub-national levels.
The visit comes against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen domestic financing for nutrition.
In June 2026, Shettima, who chairs the Nutrition 774 Initiative Strategy Board and the National Council on Nutrition, said Nigeria needed to activate domestic financing mechanisms for nutrition as international donor funding declines.
At the time, the Vice President said the country faced a ₦500 billion financing gap and called for stronger action to ensure that nutrition programmes receive adequate funding.
The Federal Government has also been pushing states to establish State Councils on Nutrition and local government committees as part of the Nutrition 774 framework.
The Addis Ababa engagement is therefore expected to focus not only on policy discussions but also on practical lessons that could be adapted to Nigeria’s sub-national nutrition system.
The delegation’s composition, particularly the participation of several state governors, reflects the administration’s emphasis on moving nutrition interventions beyond federal-level policy into state and local government implementation.
The exchange is expected to provide an opportunity for Nigerian officials to examine Ethiopia’s approach to coordinating multiple sectors around nutrition outcomes and explore areas where similar mechanisms could be adapted to Nigeria.
The delegation is scheduled to return after the conclusion of its official engagements in Ethiopia.
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