This brief summarize the global research on breastfeeding and its implications for Nigeria. The benefits of breastfeeding go beyond individual health. Breastfeeding impacts the country’s social and economic development and has implications for reaching national and global health targets.

This advocacy brief makes the case for the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, aims to sensitize policymakers on the value of exclusive breastfeeding and policies/programs that ensure mothers/caregivers do not offer infants any water for the first six months of life.

This advocacy brief is part of efforts to improve maternity protections to increase exclusive breastfeeding rates, health outcomes, and economic growth and development in Nigeria.

Alive & Thrive (A&T) conducted an impact evaluation to test an integrated package of interventions to improve breastfeeding practices in the Boucle du Mouhoun region from 2015 to 2017.