As Lagos State joins the global community to mark the 2025 World Breastfeeding Week, the State Government has announced a major milestone in child nutrition—raising its exclusive breastfeeding rate to 57.4%, exceeding the global benchmark of 50%.
Speaking at a press briefing to flag off the annual campaign, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi, described the achievement as a significant public health win.
However, she highlighted the State’s concern over the low rate (14%) of early initiation of breastfeeding—placing a newborn to the breast within the first hour of birth—which she warned has serious implications for neonatal health.
“The delay is largely due to service delivery gaps, misinformation, and the harmful practice of giving pre-lacteal feeds like glucose water and infant formula,” Ogunyemi explained.
“Missing out on colostrum, the first milk rich in antibodies, weakens a newborn’s immunity from day one.”
To address this, the State is ramping up training for midwives and birth attendants to promote timely breastfeeding initiation.
This year’s theme, “Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems,” underscores the importance of long-term support for nursing mothers, particularly those in the workforce. “It’s not just about promotion—it’s about ensuring mothers receive the institutional, social, and workplace backing they need,” Ogunyemi stated.
She emphasized breastfeeding as one of the most powerful strategies for child survival in the first six months and a critical contributor to cognitive and emotional development well into toddlerhood.
“This is a public health, economic, and developmental priority,” she stressed, calling for sustained investment in Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN).
The Special Adviser also reaffirmed the State’s commitment to its progressive leave policy—six months paid maternity leave and two weeks paternity leave for first and second births across public institutions.
“This policy enables families to fully commit to exclusive breastfeeding in the early months. We urge the private sector to follow suit,” she said.
Commending ongoing efforts at the State’s 334 Primary Health Centres and 20 Mother and Child Centres, Dr. Ogunyemi noted the presence of intensive care facilities and trained paediatric staff.
She added that antenatal counselling and public health education are being intensified to prepare mothers for optimal feeding and childcare practices.
Economic advantage of breastfeeding
The Director of Family Health and Nutrition, Dr. Folashade Oludara, emphasized the economic advantage of breastfeeding, especially in the current economic climate.
“Breastfeeding is cost-free, always available, and comes with no side effects. It’s also protective against breast cancer,” she explained, dispelling myths such as breastfeeding causing sagging breasts.
She encouraged more public education and urged the media to play an active role in busting myths.
“Informed mothers make empowered choices,” Oludara said.
In her goodwill message, Dr. (Mrs.) Lola Alonge, Founder of the Child Health Advocacy Initiative (CHAI) and UN Nutrition Champion, praised Lagos for pioneering six-month paid maternity leave—now adopted by only nine other states.
She urged the private sector to embrace the same standard. “They employ more women.
Until they align, national breastfeeding targets will remain out of reach,” she warned, also advocating the creation of breastmilk banks nationwide.
State Team Lead for the Alive and Thrive Project, Mrs. Wunmi Ajayi, stressed the importance of breastfeeding initiation within the first hour as a foundation for success.
“That golden hour matters. Once missed, it becomes harder for mothers to sustain exclusive breastfeeding,” she said, calling for increased media support and tougher regulation of breastmilk substitute marketing.
The Lagos State Government reaffirmed its collaboration with global and local partners including UNICEF, Save the Children, Alive and Thrive, and the Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria.
These groups continue to provide technical assistance, training, and advocacy to reinforce breastfeeding best practices across the State.
World Breastfeeding Week, observed globally from August 1 to 7, will run throughout August in Lagos with community outreaches, media campaigns, and stakeholder forums aimed at eliminating barriers and building stronger support systems for breastfeeding mothers.