Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal joins Vice President Kashim Shettima and other Nigerian officials for a nutrition leadership exchange in Ethiopia

Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has joined a high-level Federal Government delegation led by Vice President Kashim Shettima for a leadership and learning exchange in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, focused on strengthening nutrition delivery across Nigeria.

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President Bola Tinubu approved the delegation, which departed Nigeria on Tuesday ahead of the three-day Nigeria-Ethiopia Leadership Exchange scheduled for October 7 to 9, 2026.

Lawal is one of seven state governors selected for the visit, alongside AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, Alex Otti of Abia State, Bassey Otu of Cross River State, Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State, Ademola Adeleke of Osun State and Umar Namadi of Jigawa State.

The exchange is designed to give Nigerian policymakers an opportunity to examine Ethiopia’s experience in translating political commitments on nutrition into coordinated and accountable programmes at the sub-national level.

The visit builds on the Federal Government’s Nutrition 774 Initiative, known as N774, which was launched at the 148th meeting of the National Economic Council as part of efforts to accelerate nutrition interventions across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.

Nigeria is looking particularly to Ethiopia’s Seqota Declaration, a long-term national programme that has become a reference point for the country’s approach to tackling child malnutrition.

Ethiopia launched the Seqota Declaration in 2015 after committing to end stunting among children under two by 2030. The programme uses a multisectoral approach, bringing together government institutions responsible for areas including health, agriculture, education, water, finance and social affairs.

The programme operates under a 15-year roadmap divided into three phases: Innovation, Expansion and Scale-Up.

The Nigerian delegation is expected to study how Ethiopia has coordinated political leadership, financing and implementation across different levels of government, with a view to identifying lessons that could be adapted to Nigeria’s own nutrition programmes.

The State House said the exchange will also involve practical learning activities and visits to institutions and sites involved in Ethiopia’s nutrition and agricultural programmes.

The programme includes visits to a wheat farm and banana plantation in Oromia, the Bounty of the Basket Training Centre and households in Mojo, as well as Jabdu Motors in Bishoftu.

Shettima is leading the Nigerian delegation at the invitation of Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Temesgen Tiruneh, who is championing Ethiopia’s multisectoral approach to improving nutrition delivery.

The Vice President is accompanied by Lawal and Jigawa Governor Umar Namadi, alongside Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Abubakar Kyari and Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Zubaida Umar Abubakar.

For Nigeria, the exchange comes as the Federal Government seeks to move nutrition interventions beyond national policy commitments and strengthen implementation at state and local government levels.

The participation of governors is particularly significant to that objective because much of the practical delivery of health, food security, water, education and social interventions takes place at sub-national level.

Lawal’s participation therefore places Zamfara among the states represented in the Nigerian delegation as the Federal Government examines Ethiopia’s experience and considers approaches that could support stronger nutrition outcomes across the country.

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The delegation is expected to return to Nigeria after completing its engagements in Addis Ababa.