UNICEF urges Bauchi Govt to release N200m nutrition fund as LGAs disburse N100m
By Rauf Oyewole, Bauchi
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has appealed to the Bauchi State Government to promptly disburse its pledged N200 million counterpart funding to the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), warning that the escalating child malnutrition crisis in the state demands immediate action.
This development follows the combined contribution of N100 million from all 20 local government areas of the state, fulfilling their side of the funding agreement.
According to UNICEF, the full release of the state government’s commitment would unlock a total of N600 million in Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), a critical intervention for treating severely malnourished children across Bauchi.
Speaking at a programme held at the Bauchi Local Government Secretariat, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, Chief of UNICEF’s Field Office in Bauchi, acknowledged the efforts of local government chairmen and underscored the urgency of the situation.
“The level of child malnutrition in Bauchi State is deeply troubling. There is a pressing need to procure RUTF and Small Quantity Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS) for both the treatment and prevention of malnutrition,” she said.
Dr Rafique explained that the CNF operates on a matching grant model, requiring joint contributions from state and local governments to attract additional funds from UNICEF and its development partners.
“I appreciate the efforts made by the LGAs. We have informed the Governor that the local councils have already contributed N100 million to the CNF. His Excellency graciously pledged N200 million from the state government. With this, the CNF will provide a further N300 million, bringing the total to N600 million worth of RUTF for children in the state,” she added.
Chairman of Bauchi Local Government and Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state, Mahmood Babamaji, reiterated the commitment of local authorities to improving child welfare.
He said UNICEF’s consistent engagement with grassroots leaders had played a pivotal role in increasing awareness about the severity of malnutrition, citing a recent stakeholders’ forum in Jos where alarming data was shared.
“We were alarmed by the statistics and quickly returned to brief His Excellency. We resolved as a collective to act decisively on malnutrition affecting our children,” Babamaji said.
He confirmed that the 2026 state budget will prioritise child nutrition and pledged a more child-centred financial approach in subsequent plans.
“In our upcoming budget, nutrition will be given significant attention. We are determined to ensure that no child suffers or dies due to preventable malnutrition,” he said.
Recent nutrition surveys have ranked Bauchi State among the worst-affected in Nigeria, with thousands of children in urgent need of treatment. UNICEF has maintained that the timely release of the full counterpart funding is essential for scaling up interventions across all local government areas.