Nigeria Hosts Historic Nutrition Convening to catalyse innovation, empower ESOs

**As ESOs move to unlock Healthier future

Determined to transform the country’s food systems and improve nutrition outcomes, Nigeria hosted the 2024 Enterprise Support Organisations(ESOs) for Nutrition Convening, a groundbreaking event that brought together innovators and stakeholders in the nutrition and agrifood sectors.

The convening, the first of its kind in Nigeria and possibly Africa, hosted at the Yaradua Center on Thursday in Abuja is aimed to catalyse innovations in nutrition and empower Enterprise Support Organizations (ESOs) to drive positive change in food systems.

According to the Programme Lead for Nutrition Enterprise Development, Aime Kwizera, the event was designed to harness collective expertise to address nutrition challenges.
“We work collaboratively with governments, businesses, civil society, and all interested stakeholders in food systems,” Kwizera said.

She explained that the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) partnered with local organizations to host the event, which featured panel discussions, workshops, and networking sessions.
She listrd participants to include ESOs, government officials, business leaders, and civil society representatives.

The convening according to her sought to identify solutions to transform food systems and improve nutrition outcomes in Nigeria, where nutrition challenges remain prevalent.
By working together, she observed that the stakeholders will create a more sustainable and equitable food system that benefits all Nigerians.
Representative of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Dr. Michael Ojo, indicated that to transform Nigeria’s food systems and ensure nutritious food is accessible to all, Enterprise Support Organisations (ESOs) are playing a vital role,
Addressing a gathering of stakeholders, Dr. Ojo highlighted the critical challenges faced by micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the food sector, including limited access to finance, markets, and technical knowledge.

ESOs are bridging these gaps by providing targeted support to MSMEs, enabling them to build capacity, innovate, and grow. By doing so, ESOs are contributing to a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food system in Nigeria.

Dr. Ojo emphasized the importance of collaboration among governments, development partners, the private sector, and civil society to amplify the impact of ESOs.
“With collective efforts, Nigeria can achieve a healthier future where nutritious food is accessible to all.
“GAIN’s mission to improve access to nutritious food for 1.5 billion people by 2027 is a testament to the potential of ESOs in driving positive change in Nigeria’s food systems.”