Nigeria’s dairy industry holds key to combating malnutrition, boosting economic growth

NIGERIA – Malnutrition remains one of Nigeria’s most critical health challenges, significantly impacting the nation’s economic potential, statistics reveals.

According to recent nutrition statistics in EAT-Lancet report, one in three children under five in Nigeria suffers from stunting due to inadequate intake of essential nutrients.

The consequences of this include impaired cognitive development, reduced physical growth, and long-term productivity losses.

Scientific evidence highlights the potential of dairy products, rich in essential nutrients like lysine, vitamin B12, calcium, and high-quality proteins, to address these nutritional gaps and improve public health outcomes.

As reported by the EAT-Lancet report, Sub-Saharan Africa’s dietary patterns are dominated by starchy foods that lack sufficient nutrients, exacerbating malnutrition.

Industry experts emphasize that dairy, particularly milk, can play a transformative role in bridging the amino acid gaps prevalent in the average Nigerian diet.

A strategic intervention to ensure access to one glass of milk daily for every Nigerian could spark far-reaching benefits, including improved health outcomes and enhanced economic resilience.

To address these challenges, there is a need for industry leaders to adopt nutrition-sensitive approaches that not only enhance dairy consumption but also position the dairy sector as a key contributor to food security and economic growth.

Companies like Arla Foods have demonstrated leadership in this space by leveraging innovative partnerships and sustainable practices to strengthen the dairy value chain.

Arla’s initiatives focus on improving local production, ensuring affordability, and advancing equitable access to dairy products for all Nigerians.

However, the growth of Nigeria’s dairy sector continues to face significant barriers, including inadequate infrastructure, poor cold storage facilities, limited market access, and knowledge gaps that hinder innovation and quality improvements.

Addressing these systemic challenges requires a multi-faceted approach involving capacity building, consumer education, infrastructure development, and supportive policy frameworks.

In line with this vision, Arla Foods recently partnered with the Financial Centre for Sustainability (FC4S) and the Danish Consulate of Nigeria to host the “Nutrition in the Dairy Sector” workshop in Lagos.

The event brought together key stakeholders, including farmers, nutritionists, policymakers, and international organizations, to reimagine Nigeria’s nutrition landscape through sustainable dairy solutions.

Discussions underscored the need for investments in capacity building, infrastructure, and research-driven innovations to drive the sector’s competitiveness and ensure safe, affordable milk products for consumers.

Programs such as Sahel Consulting’s Advancing Local Dairy Development in Nigeria (ALDDN) are already making significant strides.

ALDDN’s efforts to formalize dairy farming practices in Northern Nigeria have supported 210,000 farmers, collected over 190,000 litres of milk daily, and distributed essential tools such as milk cans to improve productivity.

Similarly, the Milky Way Partnership, led by Arla and other international partners, aims to enhance milk quality, create job opportunities, and expand production capacity through backward integration and value chain optimization.

These initiatives reflect growing momentum to unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s dairy industry.

Stakeholders are optimistic that dedicated frameworks, such as the creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development, will strengthen sustainable livestock practices and ensure food safety while protecting farmers’ interests.

Industry leaders also stress the importance of promoting consumer education, particularly in collaboration with regulatory bodies like NAFDAC, to enhance awareness of dairy’s nutritional value.