The Niger State Government, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund, has called on women across the state to adopt and promote exclusive breastfeeding to improve child health and ensure babies have a healthy start in life.
The Punch reported that the appeal was made in Minna during activities marking the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week, where officials disclosed that the state’s exclusive breastfeeding rate remains below the national average.
They put the national figure at 56 per cent, while Niger State currently records about 49 per cent.
As part of efforts to raise awareness, the state government and UNICEF organised a road walk that attracted health workers, mothers and other stakeholders.
Participants trekked through heavy rain from the Kuta Memorial Primary Healthcare Centre on Old Airport Road to the Obasanjo Complex to sensitise residents on the importance of breastfeeding.
Speaking during the campaign, the Director of Food and Drugs at the Niger State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Daniel Jiya, said the exercise was aimed at educating mothers on the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, particularly during the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.
Jiya said, “We are here to celebrate and commemorate the 2026 World breastfeeding week.
“The theme for this is ‘Exclusive Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthening What Works.’
“Exclusive breastfeeding celebration is to sensitise our mothers and breastfeeding mothers on the importance and significance of exclusively breastfeeding our babies and our children for six months.
“During those periods of exclusive breastfeeding we sensitise women not to give anything apart from the breast milk because the breastfeeding milk is rich and sufficient in all the nutrient that the child will need. It is also sufficient and rich in the liquid that the body of the child will need.
“So, we also expect that these children are fed with breast milk from birth to when they are six months old so that at least, they will have the necessary and complete development that they will need because the breastfeeding milk is rich in all the vitamins. It is rich in all the proteins. It is rich in all the antibodies that the baby would need for a sustainable growth and a sustainable start in life.”
He explained that the week-long programme began with the awareness walk and would continue with additional activities, including the official flag-off by the wife of the state governor.
Jiya said, “The programme line up is what we started with today. We started with the road work and the road walk has been graciously blessed by the rain. On Monday, we will be having the flag-off and it will be done by the wife of the farmer governor. After the flag-off, we will have series of activities to ensure that women are attended to and give birth under the supervision of. skilled birth attendants, and we will also try to ensure that the women put the children they gave birth to, to breast milk at least one hour after child birth.
“The rate of compliance is not something that is tangible and can be measured. From the little date we are having, the rate of compliance in Niger is very high. Breastfeeding in Niger State is about 49 per cent. We have not yet reached the national average but we are working very hard to be able to reach the national average. It is part of the reason why we are having this sensitisation programme. The national average is about 56 per cent.”
He further encouraged mothers to begin breastfeeding within one hour of delivery and continue exclusively for the first six months, stressing that doing so significantly improves children’s growth and survival.
Jiya also noted that the breastfeeding campaign in Niger State is being supported by UNICEF and the United States government.
