
Katsina State launches 2026 SMART Nutrition Survey to address persistent malnutrition
The Katsina State Government has initiated the 2026 SMART Nutrition Survey to address ongoing concerns regarding stunting, underweight, poor dietary diversity, and food insecurity among children and vulnerable households. The survey, covering all 34 Local Government Areas, aims to provide updated data on the nutritional status of children and women to guide interventions by the government and development partners. Professor Saifullahi Ibrahim, Statistician General of the Katsina State Bureau of Statistics, highlighted the survey as a critical investment in evidence-based governance, noting that statistics inform government decisions, resource allocation, and progress monitoring. The 2025 SMART Survey reported a Global Acute Malnutrition prevalence of 7.4 percent among children, with stunting at 46.3 percent and underweight at 25.8 percent. Although acute malnutrition decreased from 13.5 percent in 2022, chronic malnutrition remains a significant issue. Factors contributing to malnutrition include inflation, poverty, conflict, displacement, large family sizes, childhood illnesses, and inadequate intervention coverage. The survey will assess various indicators including wasting, stunting, underweight, mortality, childhood morbidity, and infant feeding practices. Nura Shehu, UNICEF Planning and Monitoring Specialist, commended Katsina State's commitment but emphasized the need for sustained investment due to high stunting and underweight rates. The International Rescue Committee



