The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has called on Nigerians to strengthen support for breastfeeding as the country prepares to commemorate the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week from August 1 to 7.
In a statement issued by the Assistant Director of Information, Ado Bako, the ministry said this year’s celebration, themed “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works,” highlights the need to build on proven strategies that have improved breastfeeding practices while assessing progress toward better nutrition, food security and poverty reduction.
The ministry described breastfeeding as the foundation of lifelong health, noting that it provides optimal nutrition for infants, strengthens immunity, supports healthy brain development, improves child survival and contributes to human capital development and national productivity. It added that promoting and protecting breastfeeding also helps reduce healthcare costs while advancing food security and social equity.
According to the ministry, every mother deserves the support needed to breastfeed successfully, stressing that families, healthcare providers, employers, communities and policymakers all have critical roles to play in creating enabling environments for breastfeeding at home, in healthcare facilities and in workplaces.
The ministry reaffirmed its recommendations that mothers should initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth, exclusively breastfeed infants for the first six months of life, and introduce appropriate complementary foods from six months while continuing breastfeeding up to two years of age or beyond.
The statement noted that breast milk remains the ideal source of nutrition for infants because it is safe, affordable, hygienic and readily available, while also providing protection against many common childhood illnesses.
Increased breastfeeding, it added, helps families reduce the financial burden associated with infant formula and preventable diseases.
As part of activities marking the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week, the ministry said a national commemoration will be held on August 3, alongside a press briefing by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare.
Other activities will include community outreach programmes, health worker training, media campaigns and advocacy initiatives across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The ministry urged Nigerians to support mothers in adhering to national breastfeeding recommendations, describing collective action to protect, promote and support breastfeeding as an investment in healthier children, stronger families and a more prosperous Nigeria.
