By Elizabeth Godwin
Only one out of every three babies in Nigeria is exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
This alarming statistic was revealed by the Chief of UNICEF’s Enugu Field Office, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe, during a virtual press briefing held in Owerri on Thursday.
The event formed part of activities to mark the 2025 World Breastfeeding Week, celebrated globally from August 1 to 7. This year’s theme, “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems,” highlights the urgent need for robust, long-term structures to support mothers and improve infant nutrition.
Chiluwe emphasized that breastfeeding remains “a cornerstone of child survival, growth and healthy development,” urging families, employers, communities, and government institutions to play more active roles in creating an enabling environment for nursing mothers.
Despite the low exclusive breastfeeding rate, Chiluwe noted with optimism that over 90% of Nigerian mothers do initiate breastfeeding. She commended 10 state governments – Lagos, Kwara, Ekiti, Oyo, Cross River, Kaduna, Niger, Ondo, Enugu, and Plateau – for extending paid maternity leave to six months for public sector workers. This, she said, serves as a vital incentive that reduces pressure on mothers and enables better breastfeeding outcomes.
“Breast milk is all a baby needs for the first six months. No substitutes compare,” she stated, advocating for the creation of breastfeeding-friendly spaces in workplaces to allow mothers breastfeed with dignity and convenience.
Also speaking, Dr Hillary Ozor, UNICEF’s Social Behavioral Change Specialist for the Enugu Field Office, called on the media and other stakeholders to champion the breastfeeding agenda. “A clear sign of love for my child is to exclusively breastfeed my child,” Ozor said, urging collective action to drive policy and cultural support for breastfeeding nationwide.
