On a significant diplomatic mission, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has joined a high-level Nigerian delegation in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The visit, scheduled from October 7th to 9th, 2026, aims to foster leadership exchange and learning between Nigeria and Ethiopia. The delegation, led by Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, was approved by President Bola Tinubu and comprises several state governors, including AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, Alex Otti of Abia State, Sen. Bassey Otu of Cross River State, Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State, Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, and Umar Namadi of Jigawa State.
The leadership exchange visit is built on commitments made by the Federal Government during the launch of the Nutrition 774 Initiative (N774) at the 148th National Economic Council meeting. The initiative seeks to accelerate sub-national action on nutrition. Ethiopia's Seqota Declaration has been recognised as a valuable comparative model due to its success in translating national political commitment into coordinated, financed, and accountable nutrition delivery at decentralised levels.
In 2015, the Government of Ethiopia committed to ending stunting in children under 2 years by 2030 through the Seqota Declaration (SD). The declaration is implemented through a multisectoral programme involving nine government ministries, including Health, Agriculture, Education, Water, Irrigation and Energy, Women, Children and Youth, Transport, Finance, MOLSA, Culture and Tourism. This comprehensive approach has been instrumental in Ethiopia's efforts to address malnutrition.
The Seqota Declaration has a 15-year roadmap divided into three phases: Innovation, Expansion, and Scale-Up. This structured plan has enabled the Ethiopian government to make significant progress in addressing stunting and malnutrition. The Nigerian delegation's visit aims to draw lessons from Ethiopia's experience and apply them to Nigeria's own efforts to combat malnutrition.
The Nigerian delegation's participation in the leadership exchange visit demonstrates the country's commitment to addressing malnutrition and improving the well-being of its citizens. By learning from Ethiopia's successful model, Nigeria hopes to accelerate its own progress in reducing stunting and malnutrition. The visit also underscores the importance of sub-national action in addressing these critical issues.
Governor Dauda Lawal's participation in the delegation highlights Zamfara State's commitment to addressing malnutrition and improving the lives of its citizens. As part of the delegation, he will have the opportunity to engage with Ethiopian officials, learn from their experiences, and share Nigeria's own best practices. This exchange will likely have a positive impact on Zamfara State's efforts to address malnutrition.
The Nigeria-Ethiopia leadership exchange visit is a significant step in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. It also demonstrates the commitment of both countries to addressing critical issues such as malnutrition. The visit is expected to yield valuable insights and lessons that will inform Nigeria's own efforts to improve the well-being of its citizens.
Key points
- The Nigerian delegation's visit aims to draw lessons from Ethiopia's successful Seqota Declaration model.
- The Seqota Declaration has a 15-year roadmap divided into three phases: Innovation, Expansion, and Scale-Up.
- Governor Dauda Lawal's participation highlights Zamfara State's commitment to addressing malnutrition.
