Nigeria

Context

Nigeria’s SUN Civil Society Alliance (CSA), known as the Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), was formed in 2013. The CSA comprises over 100 registered member organizations spread across Nigeria’s 6 geopolitical zones. It is also present in 25 of the country’s 36 states, through 21 state chapters and 4 local working groups.

One of the main reasons for applying for the Pooled Fund grant was to enable CS-SUNN to make systemic changes by establishing sub-national chapters in four states (Rivers, Kwara, Imo and Oyo) and strengthening existing alliances in Gombe and the Federal Capital Territory, which have a high burden of malnutrition.

About

• 22 champions and influencers talked about nutrition in decision-making forums
• 6 advocacy briefs on nutrition issues were submitted at policy forums

Key results and impact

The government developed the National Policy on Food and Nutrition (NPFN) 2016–2025 and its strategic plan. CS-SUNN and other partners played a key role in advocating for the development and implementation of the NPFN at the sub-national level. With the support of the Pooled Fund, the CSA ensured the NPFN and the costed multi-sectoral nutrition plan were adopted by three states.

CS-SUNN organized several round-table discussions with local stakeholders to promote multi-sectoral nutrition planning and implementation. Advocacy activities were organized, with media coverage at the sub-national level, in order to generate wider coverage at the community level.

CS-SUNN’s advocacy focused primarily on financial resource mobilization and increased resources for nutrition from both domestic and external sources. Evidence-based advocacy resulted in the disbursement of government counterpart funding of 50 million Naira (approximately USD 130,000) to procure ready-to-use therapeutic food in Gombe state.

The Pooled Fund played a catalytic role in enabling the CSA to advocate for resource mobilization; 22 champions and influencers talked about nutrition in key decision-making forums. Six advocacy briefs on nutrition issues were submitted at policy forums.

CS-SUNN has a sustainability strategy and a clear resource mobilization strategy. It is successful in sourcing funding, it has a stable membership and it holds regular meetings with members and other partners in the nutrition sector.

To involve community representatives in decision-making processes, the CSA implemented activities related to gender mainstreaming, focusing on adolescents and reaching those furthest behind. Nutrition plans included statements prioritizing women in capacity-building activities, engaging women groups at community and state levels, and prioritizing adolescent nutrition education in schools.