At least 469 children died from malnutrition-related causes in Kano State between January and July 2025.
The figure was revealed by Professor Ruqayya Yusuf of the Department of Information and Media Studies while speaking at a media sensitisation workshop on tackling malnutrition in the state.
She said malnutrition and poor feeding habits remain serious public health problems in Kano, even with ongoing efforts to address them.
According to her, Nigeria still ranks poorly on global nutrition indicators.
Professor Yusuf, citing a 2025 UNICEF report, said about 40 per cent of children under five in Nigeria are stunted, while the situation is worse in Kano, where nearly 52 per cent of children suffer from stunted growth.
She explained that the high level of malnutrition is caused by poverty, food insecurity, unhealthy diets, and poor access to health information.
Also speaking at the event, crop scientist Amina Ado-Yahaya said Kano has the highest number of underweight children under five in the country, estimated at 42.6 per cent.
She called for local solutions, such as home-based vegetable gardening, to help families improve their nutrition.
She also warned that vitamin A deficiency remains a major problem, noting that it can cause childhood blindness and make illnesses like measles and diarrhoea more severe.
The experts urged the government, media, communities, and development partners to work together to tackle the growing malnutrition crisis in Kano State.
