Idowu Abdullahi
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Nigeria Plc, Wassim Elhusseini, has stated that the company is strengthening nutrition security in Nigeria through initiatives aimed at improving access to nutritious foods and addressing malnutrition.
Elhusseini reiterated the company’s commitment to improving the quality of life for Nigerians by expanding access to adequate nutrition nationwide.
He also reaffirmed the company’s commitment to youth empowerment and job creation through skills acquisition programmes under its Technical Training Initiative, assuring that Nestlé would sustain its technical skills development efforts.
In 2024, UNICEF reported that 11 million Nigerian children, one in three under five, were experiencing severe child food poverty, consuming no more than two of eight essential food groups.
Nigeria, home to about 31 million children under five, ranks among the 20 countries that account for 65 per cent of this global burden.
The MD/CEO said Nestlé was guided by a clear purpose of unlocking the power of food to enhance the quality of life for every Nigerian, including generations to come.
Elhusseini disclosed this on Thursday in Lagos at the Nestlé for Good Summit 2026, stressing that Nestlé was committed to creating value for Nigerians, particularly in the area of adequate nutrition.
“We have consistently created shared value in Nigeria for more than five decades, providing access to the nutritious, tasty food that families trust and rely on to nourish their families,” he said.
According to Elhusseini, across Nigeria, Nestlé touches lives every day.
“From the responsible sourcing of raw materials to the careful production in line with best manufacturing practices and to the safety-first distribution to ensure that every product gets to the consumer in the best possible quality,” Elhusseini said.
He added, “With this trust comes great responsibility, and at Nestlé, we are conscious of our role as a leading food and beverage company. We therefore invest in initiatives aimed at improving nutrition security in Nigeria.”
Elhusseini disclosed that the company also supports infrastructures that support healthy lives for Nigerians from birth to old age.
“When we talk about nutrition, we are not only talking about food, we are talking about the supporting infrastructures for a healthy life from pre-conception to healthy longevity, and about food and nutrition security. Delivering nutrition consistently and at scale depends on the strength of the system around it.
“In practice, nutrition does not start at the factory, and it does not end with a product on a shelf. It is shaped by how ingredients are sourced, how food is produced, how it moves through distribution, how it is stored and sold, and how it reaches the people who depend on it”, he said
He said Nestlé’s focus extends beyond products into areas that strengthen that broader ecosystem.
This, he said, includes strengthening rural livelihoods by investing in grain quality improvement, dairy development, and women’s empowerment.
Others are youth upskilling and protecting shared natural resources by promoting regenerative agriculture, supporting water efficiency, and true circularity.
Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, described the summit, themed “Nutrition for All Life Stages,” as timely.
She said the summit showed responsibility and vision, particularly at a time when nations across the world are grappling with rising food costs, rising nutrition gaps, supply chain disruptions, and changing economic realities.
According to her, nutrition remains one of the most important foundations of sustainable development.
“A healthy population, after all, we all concur, is a productive population. Children who are properly nourished learn better. Workers who have access to nutritious food contribute more effectively to economic growth. Families with access to affordable and healthy food experience improved quality of life.
“This is why the issue of nutrition cannot be separated from commerce, from trade and from investment, agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, innovation, and market accessibility,” she said.
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