Malnutrition accounts for more than 50 percent of under-five deaths in Nigeria.

To further improvements in the health and well-being of Nigeria’s children, A&T, the Government of Nigeria, and communication partner McCann, launched an infant and young child feeding (IYCF) multimedia campaign in Kaduna and Lagos States.

Despite recent improvements in maternal and child health, death rates for children under 5 remain high. Efforts must be made to attain the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals for health and hunger.

Nigeria has recently made progress toward strengthening policies and programs in support of maternal, infant and young child nutrition (MIYCN). However, progress has been limited to specific states—and creating strong plans for implementation of new policies remains a challenge.

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.