As part of key steps toward strengthening nutrition advocacy in Nigeria, a three-Day Review Workshop for the Strategic Advocacy Framework was successfully held in February 2025, in Abuja. This high-level engagement, organized under the Partnership for Improving Nigeria’s Nutrition Systems (PINNS 2.0) project implemented by CS-SUNN, brought together key stakeholders to refine and finalize a groundbreaking framework that will shape the country’s health nutrition advocacy efforts and interventions aimed at addressing malnutrition.
The workshop served as a platform for leading nutrition advocates, policymakers, and development partners to strengthen and enrich the draft advocacy framework for Nigeria’s health nutrition sector. Following an initial content development session in August 2024, this review process sought to address identified gaps, integrate emerging trends, foster inclusivity, generate evidence-based advocacy strategies, and finalize a comprehensive framework document that will guide future advocacy efforts. CS-SUNN played key role in supporting the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMoHSW) by providing funding and technical inputs to ensure the framework’s successful development.
The workshop convened a diverse group of participants, including representatives from key development partners such as UNICEF, Nutrition International, GAIN, FHI360 Alive & Thrive, and the International Society of Media and Public Health (ISMPH). Government agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, also played a leading role in refining the framework. This inclusive representation ensured that diverse expertise and perspectives enriched the document, making it more robust and responsive to Nigeria’s health nutrition advocacy needs.
At the end of the three-day review, a refined draft advocacy framework was produced and set for further validation. This document, once finalized, will serve as a strategic guideline for driving evidence-based advocacies for policy influence at national and sub-national levels, mobilizing resources for nutrition programs, and strengthening multi-sectoral collaboration in tackling malnutrition in Nigeria.
One of the greatest successes of this workshop was the depth of collaboration and wider stakeholder engagement compared to the initial drafting session. Participants emphasized that this process strengthened the evidence base for nutrition advocacy in Nigeria, fostered a more inclusive and well-rounded approach to framework development, and created a stronger foundation for policy influence and funding mobilization.
To ensure the seamless finalization of the advocacy framework, the next steps have been outlined. In the coming days, the workshop outcomes will be integrated into the draft framework. A finalized version will then be prepared and shared with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMoHSW) ahead of a finalization meeting. A virtual validation process will then follow, and upon approval, the document will be disseminated for use in shaping national and state-level nutrition advocacy efforts.
This review workshop marks a significant step in the fight against malnutrition in Nigeria. By providing a clear roadmap for advocacy, this framework will empower stakeholders to advocate for effective nutrition policies, increased funding, and sustainable nutrition interventions.
