More than 90 percent of Nigerian mothers breastfeed their babies, but only three in 10 infants receive breast milk alone during their first six months of life, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The agency says the gap highlights a growing need for stronger support for nursing mothers, warning that too many babies are missing out on one of the most effective interventions for child survival and healthy development.

Marking this year’s World Breastfeeding Week, UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in Lagos, Celine Lafoucriere, said Nigeria continues to record high breastfeeding rates, but far fewer mothers are able to follow global recommendations on early and exclusive breastfeeding.

Data from the 2023–2024 National Demographic and Health Survey showed that although more than 90 percent of mothers breastfeed, early initiation of breastfeeding declined from 42 percent in 2018 to 36 percent in 2023. Exclusive breastfeeding has also remained largely unchanged at 29 percent, while only 23 percent of children are breastfed for the recommended two years.

UNICEF also noted that only one in three babies in Nigeria is breastfed within the first hour after birth, a period health experts describe as critical because breast milk, particularly the first milk known as colostrum, provides essential nutrients and antibodies that help protect newborns from infections.

Describing breast milk as “a baby’s first vaccine,” Lafoucriere said breastfeeding remains one of the simplest and most affordable ways to improve child survival, nutrition and brain development.

Also Read: Nigeria’s doctor shortage deepens as states seek urgent solutions

“Breastmilk is the first vaccine every baby receives. It protects against sickness. It builds a stronger brain. It gives a child the best possible start in life. And it costs nothing,” she said.

She stressed that improving breastfeeding rates is not solely the responsibility of mothers, arguing that families, employers, healthcare workers and communities all have important roles to play in creating environments where women can breastfeed successfully.

According to UNICEF, only 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory currently provide up to six months of paid maternity leave, limiting the ability of many working mothers to exclusively breastfeed for the recommended period.

Lafoucriere called on employers to provide breastfeeding breaks and private spaces for nursing mothers, while urging healthcare workers to ensure babies are breastfed within the first hour after birth and that mothers receive accurate counselling free from inappropriate formula marketing.

She also encouraged fathers, grandparents, religious leaders and other family members to actively support breastfeeding mothers instead of discouraging them.

World Breastfeeding Week is observed annually from August 1 to 7 to promote breastfeeding as a cornerstone of child survival, nutrition and healthy development. This year’s campaign calls for stronger support systems that enable mothers to breastfeed successfully at home, in healthcare facilities and in the workplace.

Meiza Nigeria