The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised the alarm over Nigeria’s child malnutrition crisis, stating that the country bears the highest burden in Africa.

In a report published on its website on Tuesday, UNICEF revealed that an estimated two million Nigerian children suffer from severe acute malnutrition, yet only 20 per cent of them currently receive treatment.

“Nigeria has the second-highest number of stunted children globally, with a national prevalence rate of 32 per cent among children under the age of five,” the agency stated.

In addition, seven per cent of Nigerian women of childbearing age suffer from acute malnutrition.

UNICEF identified malnutrition as a major contributor to child mortality, either directly or indirectly responsible for 45 per cent of all deaths in children under five.

The agency further noted that exclusive breastfeeding rates have stagnated over the past decade, with only 17 per cent of babies exclusively breastfed in the first six months of life. Similarly, only 18 per cent of children aged between six and 23 months are fed a minimum acceptable diet.

States in northern Nigeria were identified as the most affected by both stunting and wasting.

“High rates of malnutrition pose a serious public health and developmental challenge for Nigeria,” UNICEF warned.

The agency linked stunting not only to increased risk of death, but also to impaired cognitive development, poor educational outcomes, and reduced productivity in adulthood. These effects, it said, contribute to economic losses estimated to cost the country up to 11 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP).

UNICEF reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that women, children, and adolescents – particularly those in vulnerable and deprived areas – gain better access to quality services and information to prevent and treat malnutrition, including in emergency situations.