A worsening shortage of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) is endangering the lives of thousands of malnourished children in northern Nigeria, with vital supplies meant to be distributed freely at primary health centres now being diverted and sold openly in markets. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that more than 400,000 children across the country are at risk due to the alarming trend.
In Katsina State alone, official data shows that 652 children died of malnutrition between January and June 2025. Despite ongoing interventions, health centres in many parts of the north continue to run out of stock, even as cartons of the lifesaving food supplement surface on social media platforms and in local shops.
RUTF, a peanut-based paste enriched with milk, vitamins, and minerals, is critical for the treatment of severe and moderate acute malnutrition. With consistent use, a child can recover within four to eight weeks. However, the illicit diversion of supplies is undermining efforts to curb malnutrition.
Humanitarian worker Abubakar Babangida explained that leakages occur at multiple points in the supply chain. He said cartons often vanish before reaching the intended facilities, while some caregivers manipulate the system by making children appear malnourished—or deliberately keeping them so—in order to collect RUTF and sell it. A single sachet now fetches between ₦450 and ₦500 on the black market, while an entire carton sells for as much as ₦60,000. The product is also being misused, with some households consuming it as a snack, spread, or supplement during pregnancy.
In August 2025, the Katsina State Government, in collaboration with UNICEF, pledged an additional ₦1 billion to fight malnutrition. Yet, experts caution that financial commitments will have little impact if the diversion of supplies persists. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, reported that nearly 70,000 children had already been treated for severe acute malnutrition in Katsina by mid-2025, with about 10,000 requiring hospitalization due to severe complications. The organization further revealed that cases of nutritional oedema—a life-threatening form of malnutrition—rose by 208 percent between January and June 2025, compared to the same period in 2024.
Babangida has called for urgent legislation to outlaw the sale of RUTF, recommending harsh penalties for offenders. He also urged health authorities to investigate and sanction workers implicated in the diversion of supplies. In some communities, Ward Development Committees have begun stepping up oversight, conducting surprise checks at health centres, issuing warnings, and monitoring usage to ensure accountability. Local residents have also taken on a watchdog role, determined to protect the food meant for vulnerable children.
The situation underscores a critical gap between aid delivery and impact. Despite increased funding and international support, malnutrition-related deaths will continue to rise if lifesaving supplies keep disappearing into the black market instead of reaching the children who desperately need them.
Report by: Isaac Blessing | Edited by: Chris Odjomah