The year 2024 was a remarkable one for CS-SUNN, marked by significant accomplishments achieved through the collective efforts of our dedicated state chapters, alliance members, staff, stakeholders, partners and donors at the local, state and national levels. The alliance made tremendous strides in driving policy advancements and increasing financial commitments toward improved nutrition.
As we embark on this new chapter in 2025, we celebrate the highlights of our impactful achievements over the past year and unveil an ambitious focus for 2025.
Achievements in 2024:
Advancing Nutrition Governance:
One of CS-SUNN’s hallmark achievements in the past year has been its role in pushing for the establishment of Nutrition Departments in key Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) at both federal and state levels. This effort has ensured that nutrition policies are implemented with a clear mandate and dedicated oversight. Through joint advocacies with partners like UNICEF, Alive and Thrive and others, CS-SUNN has influenced critical policy changes resulting in the establishment of nutrition departments at the Federal and State levels including the Federal Ministry of Health and social welfare, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the strengthening of similar structures in states like Nasarawa and Niger. The establishment of these departments have enhanced the implementation of the National Multisectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition (NMSPFAN), ensuring alignment with national and global goals.
Legislative Actions for Nutrition:
CS-SUNN legislative engagements have focused on prioritizing nutrition as a pathway to human capital development with advocacy efforts contributing to strengthened legislative and policy frameworks for nutrition. Key highlights in the past year included the inauguration of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security at the Federal level and State Houses of Assembly. Through advocacy and high-level policy dialogues with key stakeholders, nutrition-focused agendas have now been integrated into constituency projects and other government priorities.
Strengthening Community-Based Actions for Nutrition:
CS-SUNN has successfully engaged grassroots stakeholders to support nutrition interventions at the community level. Through community dialogues and town hall meetings, the alliance has mobilized local support for initiatives such as the uptake of Mutiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) for anemia prevention and control. In Kaduna, CS-SUNN supported the establishment of a community-driven approach to nutrition budgeting, ensuring sustainability.
Strengthened Media and Stakeholder Engagement:
A cornerstone of CS-SUNN’s strategy has been leveraging media platforms in collaboration with partners like Alive & Thrive and key MDAs in Nigeria to amplify nutrition advocacy. Through media roundtables and robust social media campaigns, CS-SUNN has heightened awareness on key issues, such as the importance of creating nutrition departments, fulfilling Nigeria’s Nutrition for Growth (N4G) commitments, implementing the National Micronutrient Deficiency Control Guidelines, improved funding for nutrition and an extension of paid maternity leave from four to six months. A media engagement in Kaduna spotlighted the life-changing potential of MMS during pregnancy. This initiative not only heightened public awareness but also stimulated policy discussions around scaling up MMS across Nigeria.
CS-SUNN Joins the Global Community to Celebrate International Nutrition Days:
CS-SUNN proudly aligned with the global community in commemorating international nutrition-related days that highlight critical aspects of health, food systems, and wellbeing. These occasions serve as a platform to amplify advocacy, foster partnerships, and drive meaningful action toward improving nutrition outcomes at local, national, and global levels.
From World Food Day to International Women’s Day (IWD), CS-SUNN actively participated in raising awareness of the interconnectedness of nutrition with broader social and economic development goals. CS-SUNN commemorated International Women’s Day with the theme Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress with a Quoteathon campaign disseminating user generated contents and amplifying voices advocating for six-month maternity leave, improved nutrition commodities, and women’s financial empowerment. The alliance also joined global stakeholders to celebrate World Food Day under the theme Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future. The event emphasized the importance of equitable food systems in achieving nutrition security for all Nigerians.
Similarly, on World Breastfeeding Week, we intensified efforts to promote exclusive breastfeeding as a foundation for lifelong health, advocating for policies and practices that support mothers and caregivers. These campaigns resonate with CS-SUNN’s commitment to ensuring a brighter, healthier future for all Nigerians, particularly children, who are most vulnerable to malnutrition.
CS-SUNN’s Decade of Nutrition Advocacy: Reflecting on the Past and Shaping the Future:
The Alliance also marked its monumental 10-year anniversary under the theme “A Decade of Nutrition Advocacy: Reflecting on the Past and Shaping the Future.” The occasion reflected on the alliance’s journey in the last 10 years and a celebration of its remarkable strides in advancing nutrition. Chairman of the Occasion, Hon. Chike Okafor, Chairman House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, had at the event said, “I commend CS-SUNN’s feats on this 10th anniversary celebration and emphasize the interconnectedness of our collective struggle and shared responsibility to address malnutrition”. CS-SUNN’s state chapters also organized activities reflecting on challenges and showcasing solutions in nutrition advocacy. From innovative grassroots campaigns to nutrition education programs, these commemorations underscored the alliance’s enduring impact in fostering improved nutritional practices across Nigeria.
Civil Society Empowerment for Maternal Nutrition:
CS-SUNN conducted workshops to empower Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Kaduna, Kano and Lagos states to track, monitor, and advocate for MMS coverage, uptake, and adherence. This equipped CSOs with the tools and skills to analyze the data collected, and use the information to drive meaningful advocacy for the uptake of MMS in Nigeria. Extensive town hall meetings in project states further secured stakeholder commitments on the uptake of MMS, aligning with national goals on the uptake of MMS for maternal nutrition interventions.
At the State Level:
Niger State: Strengthening Governance for Nutrition:
CS-SUNN’s advocacy in Niger State resulted in transformative commitments from key stakeholders which includes, legislative efforts to extend paid maternity leave and improved collaboration with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to integrate nutrition into budgetary frameworks.
Empowering Jigawa State: Capacity-Building on the Performance Management System:
Through a strategic capacity-building program, CS-SUNN supported Jigawa State in operationalizing its Performance Management System (PMS). This initiative ensured the creation of a robust Nutrition Annual Operational Plan (AOP) for 2024, training 29 members of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition to improve efficiency in delivering nutrition services.
Nasarawa /Lagos States: Launch of States’ Multisectoral Nutrition Plan:
CS-SUNN collaborated with the Lagos and Nasarawa State Governments to launch their State’s specific Multisectoral Plans of Action for Food and Nutrition. The Nasarawa State governor, Engr. Abdulahi Sule had at the Launch said “The launch of this document is extremely groundbreaking for Nasarawa state and I charge the steering committee to live above board in the discharge of the responsibility of its implementation and creating an enabling environment for nutrition activities in Nasarawa”. He promised to prioritize the implementation of the plan in terms of funding and to approve the child nutrition fund proposal.
Cross River State:
In alignment with CS-SUNN Advocacy engagements and extracted commitments from key targets, Cross River state approved six-month paid maternity leave.
Enugu State:
CS-SUNN’s advocacy efforts in Enugu State led to the inclusion of six-month paid maternity leave in the revised state civil service rules, which now awaits the Governor’s approval.
CS-SUNN Chapters in Adamawa, Enugu, Borno, Lagos, Kano, Benue, Oyo, Yobe, and Gombe have engaged in targeted advocacy efforts. These advocacy efforts contributed to securing commitments from key government bodies to increase the nutrition budgets and the extension of of paid maternity leave from four to six months for working mothers.
Regional and Global Impact and Advocacy Leadership
CS-SUNN’s expertise has extended beyond Nigeria, providing technical assistance to Kenya’s SUN CSA, contributing to the establishment of 10 new county chapters and the development of nutrition action plans. These collaborations have strengthened regional advocacy efforts and reinforced CS-SUNN’s role as a leader in nutrition governance.
Joint Efforts and Partnerships: Acknowledging Collaborative Success
CS-SUNN’s achievements in 2024 were made possible through collaborations with partners including UNICEF, FHI360 Alive & Thrive, USAID, GAIN, Save the Children, Nutrition International, Results for Development, Helen Keller International and a host of others. The alliance also collaborated strongly with key Ministries, Departments and Agencies like the Federal and State Ministries of Health and Social Welfare, The Federal and State Budget and Planning Ministries, The National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the Federal and state ministries of Women affairs and a host of others. These partnerships provided technical expertise, funding, and strategic support, enabling CS-SUNN to scale up interventions that directly impacted millions of Nigerians.
2025: Scaling New Heights for Nutrition:
The Increased Investment in Nutrition to Scale up Quality Nutrition Services
The Increased Investment in Nutrition to Scale up Quality Nutrition Services:
CS-SUNN in a collaborative effort with UNICEF will continuously advocate for nutrition funding as a major determinant of the availability, accessibility and uptake of quality nutrition services as well as improvement in the exclusive breastfeeding rate through supporting states to implement six months paid maternity leave for nursing mothers in Benue, Cross River, Enugu, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Sokoto, Gombe and Kebbi, Niger, Kano, Lagos, Lagos, Kaduna, Adamawa, Bauchi, Katsina, Zamfara, Oyo, Borno and Yobe states.
Dimagi CCC-CHC Pilot: Grassroots Digital Nutrition Interventions
CS-SUNN will ride on the Dimagi CommCare Connect Child Health Campaign (CCC-CHC) pilot project targeting children under five in high-need regions. Currently piloted in Bauchi State, CS-SUNN will continue to empower frontline workers in the use of CommCare digital tools to deliver essential interventions such as Vitamin A supplementation, deworming, and malnutrition screening for children. As of December 2024, the project had reached 2860 children with these essential nutrition interventions and aims to reach 3,000 children by January 31st 2024.
Join us in making 2025 a transformative year for nutrition in Nigeria! Your partnership is crucial to keeping nutrition at the forefront of our national agenda. Be a part of this impactful journey today!
