This Nutrition Dialogue is themed, “Workforce Nutrition and Large-Scale Food Fortification: A Synergistic Approach to Combating Malnutrition in Nigeria”.

The National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey highlights the multiple forms of malnutrition affecting Nigeria, including micronutrient deficiencies such as folic acid, iron, and Vitamin B12. These deficiencies significantly contribute to adverse health outcomes, including birth defects such as spina bifida. Large-Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) initiatives, such as rice fortification, have emerged as transformative solutions to address these critical deficiencies.

Furthermore, with people spending one-third of their adult lives at work, often with limited access to nutritious meals, implementing Workforce Nutrition Programmes (WFN) has become an urgent priority. These programmes offer interventions that increase access to and demand for healthier diets, thereby contributing to malnutrition reduction among working populations.

This dialogue aims to explore how LSFF and WFN strategies synergistically combat malnutrition, improve health, enhance productivity and accelerate Nigeria’s progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).