Every year, from August one to seven, World Breastfeeding Week spotlights the importance of breastfeeding for infant and maternal health. In Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) plays a central role in aligning national action with global standards to promote and safeguard exclusive breastfeeding.
The 2025 World Breastfeeding Week has the theme “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Systems.”
NAFDAC echoes this message, declaring breastfeeding a cornerstone of public health and essential for reducing child mortality, boosting maternal well-being, and reinforcing economic resilience. Through sensitisation campaigns in churches, mosques, media outlets, and social media, NAFDAC hopes to mobilize communities and stakeholders to strengthen breastfeeding awareness and support networks.
NAFDAC’s most significant contribution lies in enforcing the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes through implementation of Nigeria’s 2021 to 2025 national strategy. In late 2024, NAFDAC inaugurated Breastmilk Substitutes Multi‑Sectoral Technical Committees in thirty-two states. These state level committees are entrusted with ensuring compliance with national and international Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes regulations and curbing unethical marketing of infant formula.
During the celebration last year, NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by Eva Edwards, reminded Nigerians that only about thirty-four per cent of babies aged zero to six months are exclusively breastfed which is far below the World Health Organization’s 2025 target of fifty per cent. NAFDAC called for broader support systems from healthcare providers, families and employers, to help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth and sustain exclusive feeding for six months.
NAFDAC also continues to caution against aggressive marketing of breastmilk substitutes that undermine breastfeeding. The agency emphasizes compliance with the Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes Code and works with partners to host sensitization workshops for infant food manufacturers and key actors in the supply chain.
Aligned with the 2025 theme of creating sustainable support systems, NAFDAC’s multi‑sectoral networks enable monitoring and advocacy at state and local levels. The Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes technical committees bring together government ministries, healthcare agencies, UNICEF, WHO, civil society, and state authorities to jointly champion optimal feeding practices.
NAFDAC is a pivotal actor in Nigeria’s World Breastfeeding Week efforts. By promoting exclusive breastfeeding, enforcing Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes regulations, raising public awareness, and coordinating with state-level committees across the country, NAFDAC ensures that breastfeeding becomes a protected, supported, and sustainable practice for mothers and children nationwide. The agency’s ongoing efforts play a key role in driving Nigeria toward meeting the WHO target and safeguarding the health of future generations.
FRANCA MADIKE
