Nigeria is currently grappling with two major public health challenges: malnutrition and maternal mortality.
Malnutrition, particularly among children under five, has reached alarming levels.
In the first half of 2025 alone, over 652 children reportedly died from severe malnutrition in Katsina State.
This crisis has been exacerbated by widespread food insecurity and significant funding cuts from major international donors, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union.
Displacement due to conflict has forced families to abandon agriculture, thereby limiting food access. Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) has announced plans to suspend food assistance to 1.3 million people in northeastern Nigeria due to resource depletion (Reuters, 2025).
Concurrently, Nigeria faces a critical maternal health crisis. The country accounted for an estimated 75,000 maternal deaths in 2023, representing nearly one-third of global maternal mortality.
The situation is deteriorating as aid cuts continue to affect about 70% of health facilities, especially in conflict-affected areas, disrupting antenatal care and emergency services. Without urgent intervention, millions of women and children remain at risk (The Guardian, 2025).
Reviewing Recent Health Policy Updates From The Federal Ministry Of Health (Nigeria) And The World Health Organisation
Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes mellitus has emerged as a top-priority health challenge in Nigeria due to its increasing prevalence and serious health impacts.
Recent studies show that the prevalence of diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), has significantly increased in Nigeria over the past two decades.
Research indicates a 2.6 to nearly 3-fold rise in diabetes cases compared to estimates from the early 1990s.
This growing epidemic poses a heavy burden on Nigeria’s health care system and the population’s wellbeing.
Key factors driving diabetes as a pressing health issue in Nigeria include rapid urbanisation, unhealthy dietary habits, physical inactivity, and rising obesity rates, especially abdominal obesity.
Urban lifestyles often promote sedentary behaviour and the adoption of high-calorie, processed, and sugary foods, replacing traditional diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These lifestyle shifts contribute to insulin resistance and increased risk for type 2 diabetes.
Nigeria also faces challenges in managing and providing care for diabetes. A very high percentage (70% to 80%) of people with diabetes remain undiagnosed, increasing the risk of severe complications such as stroke, kidney disease, and limb amputations.
Access to diabetes information, affordable medications (including insulin), and quality health care is limited. The health care infrastructure is often underfunded, and many Nigerians rely on out-of-pocket payments for medical care, exacerbating the difficulty in managing this chronic disease.
The growing burden of diabetes threatens not just the individuals affected but also the national economy and development goals, as it increases mortality and morbidity from complications.
Addressing the diabetes epidemic in Nigeria requires urgent public health initiatives focused on lifestyle changes, improved screening and diagnosis, better access to care, and increased government investment in healthcare infrastructure and education.
In summary, diabetes mellitus is a major and increasing health challenge in Nigeria due to changing lifestyles, insufficient health care resources, and rising undiagnosed cases. Addressing these issues is crucial for enhancing the population’s health outcomes and mitigating the disease’s socioeconomic impact.
