Lagos Surpasses Global Exclusive Breastfeeding Target, Seeks Earlier Breastfeeding for Newborns

Lagos State says it has exceeded the global exclusive breastfeeding target while seeking to improve early breastfeeding initiation.

The Lagos State Government says it has exceeded the global target for exclusive breastfeeding, recording a rate of 57.4 per cent, while pledging renewed efforts to improve the number of babies breastfed within the first hour after birth.

The milestone was announced on Tuesday during a press briefing at the Lagos State Ministry of Health in Alausa as part of activities marking the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week.

Speaking at the event, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, said the state’s exclusive breastfeeding rate now exceeds the World Health Organization’s benchmark of 50 per cent. However, she noted that only 14 per cent of newborns in Lagos are breastfed within the first hour of delivery, a figure the government hopes to significantly improve.

According to Ogunyemi, breastfeeding remains one of the most effective and affordable ways to improve child survival, reduce infant illnesses and ensure healthy development during the early stages of life.

She explained that exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, followed by continued breastfeeding alongside appropriate complementary feeding until the age of two, provides infants with the nutrients needed for healthy physical growth, brain development and stronger immunity.

“The importance of breastfeeding as a child survival strategy cannot be overemphasised. Breast milk is free, nutrient-rich, readily available and contributes to healthier children while strengthening the bond between mother and child,” she said.

This year’s World Breastfeeding Week is being observed under the theme “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works,” with global attention focused on expanding proven breastfeeding practices that improve maternal and child health.

Ogunyemi described the theme as particularly relevant given Nigeria’s current economic realities, noting that breastfeeding offers families a cost-effective and sustainable means of ensuring adequate nutrition for infants without relying heavily on expensive formula feeding.

She urged husbands, grandparents, employers, religious leaders, healthcare workers and community members to actively support nursing mothers, stressing that successful breastfeeding depends not only on mothers but also on the support system around them.

The Special Adviser disclosed that Lagos has continued to strengthen its Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) programme through regular training of healthcare workers, breastfeeding counselling, nutrition education and enforcement of regulations governing the marketing of breast-milk substitutes.

According to her, the programme is currently being implemented across all 334 Primary Health Centres, 29 secondary health facilities and the state’s tertiary healthcare institution, supported by an effective referral system.

She expressed concern over persistent misconceptions surrounding colostrum, the thick yellowish breast milk produced immediately after childbirth, explaining that many mothers still wrongly believe it should be discarded despite its proven health benefits.

Colostrum contains antibodies and nutrients that help protect newborns from infections during the first days of life and is widely regarded by health experts as a baby’s first natural vaccine.

To address the low rate of early breastfeeding initiation, Ogunyemi said the state is intensifying the training of midwives and healthcare professionals in both public and private hospitals to ensure mothers begin breastfeeding within the first hour after delivery.

Responding to questions from journalists, she also dismissed the widespread belief that mothers who undergo caesarean section deliveries cannot breastfeed immediately.

“A caesarean section is not a barrier to breastfeeding. Whether a mother delivers vaginally or through surgery, breastfeeding should begin as soon as possible, ideally within the first hour after birth,” she said.

Health experts say improving early initiation of breastfeeding remains critical to reducing neonatal deaths and strengthening child survival outcomes across Nigeria.

The Lagos State Government reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining breastfeeding awareness campaigns and expanding access to maternal nutrition services as part of broader efforts to improve public health indicators across the state.