Community Pot has hosted its inaugural Private Sector Roundtable on Sustainable Nutrition, bringing together leaders from government, development agencies, agribusiness, and consulting to chart a new path in tackling Nigeria’s malnutrition crisis.
Held virtually on August 5, 2025, and themed “Nigeria’s Next Frontier for Human Capital & Business Returns”, the event underscored the urgent need to treat nutrition not as a charitable cause but as a strategic business opportunity.
With over two million Nigerian children under five acutely malnourished and 45% of child deaths linked to poor nutrition, the stakes could not be higher.
Opening the discussions, Founder, Community Pot, Oluwakemi Jeje, explained why the organisation convened the roundtable.
“This is more than a conversation about feeding and treatment, it’s about building systems that work. If charity alone could solve malnutrition, it would have by now, she said.
Jeje also emphasised that the size of the problem is the size of the opportunity for businesses to step in, from production to distribution.”
Giving his keynote speech, Director of the Economic Planning Department, Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Saheed Olowonishaye, stressed that nutrition is a multisectoral responsibility.
“No matter how many roads, hospitals, or schools we build, they won’t matter if we lack the human capital to manage them. A malnourished child cannot grow to lead or sustain any institution.”
One of the speakers and Consultant at Sahel Consulting Hauwa Ali, called for locally produced therapeutic foods to replace disrupted imports.
“There’s a huge opportunity for Nigeria’s private sector to innovate affordable, nutrient-rich alternatives. With the right data and alignment, NGOs and businesses can achieve shared impact.”
Also speaking, HR Lead, Flour Mills of Nigeria (Agro Allied Division), Christianah Olukanni, emphasised integrating nutrition into business strategy.
“Commercial strategy and nutrition goals are not opposing forces, they can and must work together. Any organisation that aligns with health and sustainability will earn brand trust and long-term loyalty.”
For the Director of Health and Nutrition, Aliko Dangote Foundation, Dr. Francis Aminu, lasting impact requires private sector co-creation.
He said: “we must shift from siloed efforts to system-wide approaches. The real change we need is not just in personal behavior, but in institutional behavior. Businesses should own the vision and drive long-term change.”
The roundtable also unveiled Community Pot’s Nutrition Support Centre (NSC) model; a private-sector-linked initiative bridging the gap between nutrition education and product access.
Data shared revealed that rehabilitating one severely malnourished child costs between ₦60,000 and ₦75,000, yet every $1 invested in nutrition yields an estimated $16 return.
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