The Lagos State Government has achieved a significant milestone in child nutrition, with its exclusive breastfeeding rate reaching 57.4 per cent, surpassing the global target of 50 per cent.
This was disclosed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, during a press briefing to mark the 2025 World Breastfeeding Week.
While acknowledging the progress, Dr Ogunyemi expressed concern over the state’s low rate of early initiation of breastfeeding, which currently stands at 14 per cent. She warned that delays in starting breastfeeding within the first hour of birth pose serious risks to newborn health.
She attributed the low figures to poor service delivery, cultural misconceptions, and the continued use of pre‑lacteal feeds such as glucose water and infant formula.
“When babies miss out on colostrum, which is rich in antibodies, their immunity is compromised from the start,” she said, adding that steps are being taken to retrain midwives and birth attendants on proper breastfeeding initiation protocols.
Speaking on this year’s theme, “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems”, Ogunyemi stressed the importance of long‑term institutional, community, and workplace structures to support breastfeeding mothers, particularly those in employment.
“We are focused not just on promoting breastfeeding, but ensuring that mothers have the social, institutional, and workplace support they need,” she said.
She highlighted the long‑term benefits of breastfeeding, including improved physical growth, emotional bonding, and cognitive development, especially in the first two years of life.
“This is not just a maternal health matter, it is also a public health, economic, and developmental issue that demands collective action,” Ogunyemi added.
To support working families, the state has adopted a six‑month paid maternity leave and two‑week paternity leave policy for the first two deliveries across all public institutions.
“This forward‑thinking policy gives parents the time needed to prioritise exclusive breastfeeding during the critical first six months. We encourage private sector employers to adopt the same,” she said.
She also disclosed that the state has scaled up antenatal education and counselling across its health facilities to better prepare expectant mothers for optimal breastfeeding practices and infant care.
Also speaking, Dr Folashade Oludara, Director of Family Health and Nutrition at the State Ministry of Health, emphasised that breastfeeding remains the most affordable, effective, and accessible form of nutrition for infants, particularly during challenging economic times.
“Now more than ever, mothers should prioritise exclusive breastfeeding. It’s free, readily available, and has no negative side effects,” she said. “Contrary to popular myths, it does not cause sagging breasts.”
Dr Oludara also pointed to the broader health benefits of breastfeeding, including a reduced risk of breast cancer for mothers. She urged the media to combat misinformation by promoting fact‑based content.
“We want our women to be properly informed. Breastfeeding supports both mother and child and contributes to overall public health,” she said.
In her remarks, Dr Lola Alonge, founder of the Child Health Advocacy Initiative, praised Lagos for pioneering paid maternity and paternity leave in Nigeria, noting that only a few states have followed the lead more than a decade later.
“Lagos set the standard, and it is a commendable achievement. But to reach our breastfeeding goals, the private sector must also play its part,” she said.
Dr Alonge called on private organisations to align with public policies, stressing that most women work in the private sector and that the absence of similar maternity support could undermine national breastfeeding targets.
“Until private employers fully embrace six‑month maternity leave, our efforts to improve child nutrition and maternal well‑being will remain incomplete,” she added.
