The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has urged Nigerian employers – particularly in the private sector – to adopt inclusive workplace policies that support breastfeeding mothers, as part of efforts to mark World Breastfeeding Week 2025.
Mr. Muhammad Okorie, UNICEF’s Social Policy Manager and Officer-in-Charge of the Lagos Field Office, made the appeal on Monday during a public engagement in Benin City, Edo State. Themed “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems,” the event focused on strengthening workplace and legislative support for nursing mothers.
“Supporting exclusive breastfeeding is not just a personal choice – it is a systemic issue,” Okorie said. “Workplaces must become part of the solution.”
Okorie noted that while some Nigerian states – such as Lagos – have extended paid maternity leave in the public sector from four to six months, most private sector employers lag behind. He stressed the need for uniform maternity protection across all sectors.
“One of the key policy areas UNICEF is championing is the extension of paid maternity leave in both public and private sectors,” he added.
He emphasised that inclusive workplace policies in Nigeria are essential to closing the equity gap for working mothers and achieving the national goal of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a child’s life.
UNICEF raised concerns about the lack of breastfeeding-friendly environments in many Nigerian workplaces. According to Okorie, most organisations do not provide dedicated breastfeeding rooms, on-site crèches, or support groups for nursing mothers returning from leave.
“These simple facilities can make a huge difference,” he said. “Peer support groups, breastfeeding corners, and enabling workspaces are critical if we want mothers to meet the target of exclusive breastfeeding.”
Okorie reiterated that the first breast milk – colostrum – provides a newborn with essential antibodies, describing it as “the baby’s first vaccine and the first bond of love.”
He called on business leaders and HR professionals to integrate breastfeeding support into workplace health and safety strategies.
UNICEF is currently working with health authorities and government agencies to improve both policy and practical support for breastfeeding. However, Okorie warned that without robust workplace reforms, many Nigerian mothers will remain underserved.
“Inclusive workplace legislation must go hand-in-hand with health education and service delivery,” he concluded.
