Education and health experts have raised concerns over the long-term impact of iodine deficiency on Nigerian schoolchildren, warning that it is contributing to poor cognitive development and high dropout rates.
At a stakeholder meeting on Tuesday, in Nasarawa state, the director of the technology and science education department at the federal ministry of education, Muyibat Olodo, stressed the need for stronger school nutrition policies.
“Iodine deficiency remains a major challenge in Nigeria, leading to developmental delays and learning difficulties,” Olodo said. “The simple yet effective solution is ensuring households consistently use adequately iodised salt.”
The meeting, which assessed the Universal Salt Iodisation (USI) status among primary school learners, brought together key regulatory agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC).
Chimay Thompson, a public health nutritionist, emphasized the need for early intervention.
“Prevention is better and cheaper than cure,” she said. “We don’t want to wait until we start seeing goitre or other serious health issues.”
Experts at the event, including Dehinde Makanjuola, head of nutrition and dietetics at Nasarawa State University, linked the low consumption of iodised salt to poor memory, mental retardation, and a decline in academic performance among schoolchildren.
“There’s a direct connection between nutrition and learning outcomes,” Makanjuola said. “If we don’t address this, we will continue to see high dropout rates.”
While the federal government has launched campaigns to promote iodised salt consumption, challenges persist, especially in rural areas where access and awareness are limited.
The National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), launched in 2016 to provide free nutritious meals to primary school children, was designed to improve learning outcomes. However, experts say its effectiveness has been undermined by funding inconsistencies, poor monitoring, and allegations of mismanagement.
Stakeholders at the meeting called for a nationwide assessment of household iodised salt consumption and the barriers preventing its widespread use.
