The Zamfara State Government has approved six months of maternity leave for female civil servants in a move aimed at promoting exclusive breastfeeding, improving maternal health and reducing child malnutrition across the state.
The approval was announced on Thursday in Gusau by the State Head of Service, Yakubu Haidara, 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 improving the health and wellbeing of women and children, especially during the critical first six months after childbirth.
According to him, the governor approved the extended maternity leave to support efforts to tackle child malnutrition, which remains a major public health challenge in Zamfara and many other parts of Nigeria.
“I believe the governor’s approval is aimed at addressing malnutrition among children in the state,” Haidara said.
He explained that extending maternity leave from the previous duration to six months would allow nursing mothers enough time to recover physically after childbirth while also giving their babies the best start in life through exclusive breastfeeding.
According to the Head of Service, the new policy offers several health benefits for both mothers and children.
“It provides essential time for physical recovery, prevents postpartum depression, facilitates exclusive breastfeeding and promotes vital emotional bonding,” he said.
Haidara noted that the period immediately after childbirth is critical for both mother and child, stressing that adequate maternity leave enables women to focus on their health without the pressure of returning to work too early.
He said the policy would also strengthen emotional bonds between mothers and their babies, which experts consider important for healthy child development.
The Head of Service added that the state government and civil society organisations share a common goal of protecting children and ensuring healthier future generations.
He assured the visiting delegation that the Lawal administration would continue to work closely with development partners and non-governmental organisations to improve nutrition and healthcare services across the state.
Haidara also recalled that Governor Lawal approved N500 million as counterpart funding for nutrition programmes in 2025, describing the intervention as evidence of the administration’s commitment to improving child health.
He expressed optimism that the governor would sustain or even increase funding for nutrition-related programmes this year.
“I believe this year also the governor will do the same or even more for nutrition activities in the state,” he said.
He added that continued investment in nutrition would help reduce cases of child malnutrition and improve the quality of life for families across Zamfara.
Earlier, the Zamfara State Coordinator of Civil Society–Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), Kabiru Jangeru, welcomed the government’s decision, describing it as a major milestone in the campaign to improve maternal and child nutrition.
Jangeru said the organisation, with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has consistently advocated increased government funding for nutrition programmes and the adoption of a six-month maternity leave policy.
According to him, the approval aligns with global recommendations on infant feeding and is expected to improve the health of mothers and babies throughout the state.
He said CS-SUNN has been engaging government institutions, policymakers and community leaders on the importance of investing in nutrition, particularly during the first one thousand days of a child’s life, which experts consider crucial for healthy growth and brain development.
Jangeru expressed appreciation to the Zamfara State Government for responding positively to the advocacy efforts.
He said the decision would encourage more working mothers to practise exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months after childbirth.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF recommend that babies should receive only breast milk during their first six months of life, without water, infant formula or other foods, except where medically necessary.
According to the two organisations, exclusive breastfeeding provides babies with all the nutrients they need during the early stages of life while strengthening their immune systems and protecting them against infections such as diarrhoea and pneumonia.
For mothers, exclusive breastfeeding has been linked to faster recovery after childbirth, lower risks of postpartum depression and reduced chances of developing certain cancers later in life.
As a result, several countries and organisations have adopted longer maternity leave policies to improve child health outcomes.
In Nigeria, maternity leave policies vary across states and organisations.
While the Federal Government provides maternity leave for female public servants, some states have introduced longer periods in recent years to support breastfeeding and maternal health.
Nutrition advocates say extending paid maternity leave is one of the most effective policy measures for reducing child malnutrition, improving infant nutrition and helping mothers balance work and family responsibilities.
Zamfara has faced significant health and nutrition challenges over the years, with many communities experiencing high rates of child malnutrition due to poverty, insecurity, limited access to healthcare and inadequate nutrition.
Development partners, including UNICEF and other humanitarian organisations, have continued to support the state with nutrition programmes, treatment for severely malnourished children and public awareness campaigns on infant feeding practices.
The approval of six months’ maternity leave is expected to complement those efforts by giving working mothers the opportunity to follow global breastfeeding recommendations while maintaining their careers in the civil service.