About 58 per cent of women of reproductive age are living with anaemia, according to the 2023 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), worsening Nigeria’s widespread but preventable nutrition crisis.

The scale of the challenge was highlighted on Tuesday at the CS-SUNN Capacity Building on Strengthening Media Role for Anaemia Prevention in Nigeria.

The Assistant Director in the Nutrition Department of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Helen Achimugu, in her presentation, warned that anaemia and other micronutrient deficiencies continue to undermine the health, productivity and survival of millions of Nigerians.

She said, fifty-eight per cent of women of reproductive age in Nigeria are currently anaemic, citing findings from the 2023 NDHS, adding that this means more than half of our women are living with a condition that is largely preventable and treatable.

She added that the crisis extends to children, noting that Nigeria now ranks first in Africa and second globally in the number of stunted children.

“We have about 35 million stunted children, over 14 million wasted children and roughly 24 million children who are anaemic. This is not just a health issue, it is a development emergency.”

Achimugu explained that micronutrient deficiencies, often referred to as “hidden hunger” are widespread, particularly among children under five and women of reproductive age.

“They are called hidden hunger because the signs are not always visible, but their impact on health, learning ability and productivity is profound,” she said.

According to her, poor dietary diversity, food insecurity and socio-economic factors are driving the trend, with higher prevalence recorded in northern Nigeria. “The burden is heavier in the northern regions, largely due to dietary patterns and access to nutritious foods,” she said. She identified key micronutrients such as iron, iodine, zinc, folate and vitamin A as essential for growth and immunity.

“These nutrients are needed in small quantities, but when they are lacking, or even taken in excess, the body cannot function properly,” Achimugu said, linking deficiencies to stunting, wasting, underweight and impaired cognitive development.

The health official also stressed that malnutrition underlies most childhood illnesses.

Speaking at a three-day high-level media capacity building workshop, tagged “Media as a Catalyst for an Anaemia-Free Nigeria,” CS-SUNN Executive Director, Sunday Okoronkwo, narrated that anaemia remains one of the most pressing contributors to maternal mortality in the country and requires sustained public enlightenment.