*Gautier Magnot, European Union Ambassador to ECOWAS, says the US and other partners’ withdrawal of aid has created ‘a huge gap in the provision of therapeutic food’ for the affected children in the North-West, North-East Nigeria, and other economies

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

Gautier Magnot, European Union (EU) Ambassador to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has solicited additional efforts at assisting in dealing with malnutrition affecting two million children in the North-East and North-West regions of the country.

Magnot, who stated this while featuring in a Channels TV programme Friday, July 25, 2025, said the withdrawal of aid by the United States (US), and other partners had created a huge gap in the provision of therapeutic food for the affected children in Nigeria, and other economies.

The envoy also noted: 鈥淭hose who are, right now, suffering from severe acute malnutrition, and in particular, children. “According to all humanitarian partners, in Nigeria, there are currently 3.5 million children in severe acute malnutrition, in particular two million in the northwest and northeast, and these need assistance, in particular through therapeutic food.”

He further noted: 鈥淎nd this assistance was traditionally given in a big part through humanitarian international assistance. “And now, with the withdrawal of some partners, particularly the US, there is a huge gap to be covered.

鈥淧lus, the problem has also deteriorated because of the impact of climate change, insecurity, and several factors, so there is now a need for additional effort to cover these needs and ensure that the supply of therapeutic food is not disrupted in a few weeks鈥� time.”

Therapeutic milk

Magnot said though there are local producers of rapid-use therapeutic food, there is a need for the importation of the item to meet the demands.

The ambassador said: 鈥淏ut you also need to import some, for instance, therapeutic milk, which is what saves babies.

鈥淲hen you see babies, like I saw in Sokoto last weekend with the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, who are not even able to eat by themselves because they are too weak for that, the only thing that can save them is therapeutic milk.”

He explained: 鈥淎nd then after a couple of days, you see they come back to life and they start drinking themselves again with an appetite, and then, you can change their diet and come back to a normal diet after some time.

鈥淏ut the chain exists, the stabilisation centres exist. They are overstretched with normal capacities also, but it鈥檚 important to supply the therapeutic food necessary for these children.鈥�

It is recalled Vice-President Kashim Shettima had raised the alarm over the scale of malnutrition in the West African country.

Shettima also warned that the condition was depriving nearly 40 percent of children under the age of five of their full physical and cognitive potential.

Speaking at the National Summit on Nutrition and Food Security, held in Abuja, FCT, Shettima, represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Ibrahim Hadejia, described the situation as a national crisis that must be tackled urgently and collectively.

He stated: 鈥淚t is a reminder of the burden that we bear 鈥� a malnutrition crisis that continues to rob nearly 40 per cent of Nigerian children under five of their physical and cognitive potential.”

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