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The national campaign and advocacy efforts under the Federal Government’s Nutrition 774 initiative gained further momentum as the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) led a high-powered delegation to Plateau State for a strategic engagement with the state government. The delegation was headed by Hon. Anani Hamisu Mohammed, ALGON’s National Publicity Secretary and Chairman of Wase Local Government Area.

During the advocacy visit to the Plateau State Government House in Jos, the ALGON delegation was received by the Secretary to the State Government, Arc. Nanchang Jatau, who stood in for His Excellency Governor Barr. Caleb Mutfwang. The meeting marked a significant step in the ongoing national efforts to address Nigeria’s growing nutrition challenges, with a clear focus on deepening collaboration between federal and state actors.

The Nutrition 774 initiative, an intervention program of the Office of the Vice President, is championed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Nutrition, Public Health, and Food Security, Mrs. Uju Awuka Rochas Okorocha. Her team joined the ALGON delegation in Jos as part of the broader push to inaugurate state-level councils to operationalize the goals of the initiative. According to stakeholders, the campaign is driven by a strong resolve to close nutrition gaps and reinforce sustainable food and health systems across Nigeria.

In Plateau State, the advocacy team engaged with a wide range of critical stakeholders, including members of the Plateau State House of Assembly, relevant ministries, and representatives from all 17 Local Government Areas. Among those in attendance were the Chairman of the State House Committee on Nutrition, Hon. Abdul Yanga, Commissioners overseeing key portfolios such as Health, Agriculture, Education, Water Resources, Women Affairs, Budget and Economic Planning, Finance, and Information and Culture. Also present was Dr. Emeka Obassi, Director of Nutrition at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, alongside ALGON officials and local government chairmen.

During the meeting, the government and its partners resolved to establish the Nutrition 774 State Council in Plateau State. The council will serve as a standing body charged with aligning the state’s nutrition programs with national objectives, providing technical and logistical support, fostering accountability and performance tracking, and offering a long-term structure for implementation and review.

The initiative is also set to commence pilot projects in three local government areas within the state. These pilots are expected to lay the groundwork for broader state-wide implementation by introducing community-based nutrition education, raising awareness, equipping local governments with relevant skills, and setting up Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) sites for both inpatient and outpatient care.

Hon. Anani Hamisu Mohammed expressed satisfaction with the level of commitment demonstrated by the Plateau State Government and stakeholders. He described the campaign as a crucial opportunity to improve lives through coordinated and inclusive action, noting that ALGON is determined to drive the initiative from the grassroots upward.

Governor Mutfwang, through his representative, pledged the state’s full cooperation and emphasized the urgency of addressing malnutrition as a developmental priority. He commended the federal government and ALGON for bringing the advocacy to Plateau and affirmed that the state is ready to play a leading role in ensuring the success of the program.

The visit and engagements in Jos further reinforced the shared commitment to tackling malnutrition in Nigeria and affirmed the importance of inclusive governance in solving one of the country’s most pressing public health and development challenges.

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