The Zamfara State Government has approved six months of maternity leave for female civil servants as part of efforts to promote exclusive breastfeeding and improve maternal and child health.
The State Head of Service, Yakubu Haidara, announced the approval on Thursday in Gusau while receiving a delegation from the Civil Society–Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN).
Haidara said the policy reflects Governor Dauda Lawal’s commitment to tackling child malnutrition and improving nutrition outcomes across the state.
“I believe the governor’s approval is aimed at addressing malnutrition among children in the state,” he said.
He explained that the extended maternity leave would give nursing mothers sufficient time to recover after childbirth, support exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, reduce the risk of postpartum depression and strengthen the emotional bond between mothers and their babies.
“It provides essential time for physical recovery, helps prevent postpartum depression, facilitates exclusive breastfeeding and promotes vital emotional bonding,” Haidara said.
He added that the state government and civil society organisations share a common goal of protecting children and improving their health and well-being.
Haidara also recalled that Governor Lawal approved ₦500 million in counterpart funding for nutrition programmes last year and expressed confidence that the administration would sustain or increase its investment in the sector.
“I believe this year also the governor will do the same or even more for nutrition activities in the state,” he said.
He assured the delegation that the state government would continue to work closely with development partners and civil society organisations to combat child malnutrition.
Earlier, the CS-SUNN State Coordinator, Kabiru Jangeru, described the approval as a major milestone in efforts to improve maternal and child nutrition in Zamfara.
He said the organisation, with support from UNICEF, had been advocating increased funding for nutrition programmes and the adoption of a six-month maternity leave policy to encourage exclusive breastfeeding.
According to Jangeru, the policy aligns with global recommendations on infant feeding and is expected to improve health outcomes for mothers and their babies.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF recommend exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life as one of the most effective ways to reduce infant mortality, improve child nutrition and support healthy growth and development.
The new policy is expected to enable working mothers to exclusively breastfeed their infants while recovering adequately from childbirth.
