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Nigeria’s largely invisible nutrition crisis is quietly eroding the country’s economic potential, with experts warning that widespread deficiencies in folate (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12 are driving preventable birth defects, poor cognitive development, lower educational outcomes and reduced workforce productivity.

Nutrition specialists are now urging the federal government to make the fortification of bouillon cubes with folic acid and vitamin B12 mandatory, describing the measure as one of the country’s most cost-effective public health investments and a critical step toward building a healthier and more productive population.

Their call comes as Nigeria records an estimated 7.5 million births every year, with about 11,000 babies born annually with neural tube defects (NTDs), serious congenital abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord that are strongly linked to folate deficiency. Scientific evidence shows that adequate folic acid intake before conception and during early pregnancy can reduce the risk of these defects by as much as 70 percent.

Experts say the economic consequences extend far beyond hospitals.

Children born with preventable neural tube defects often require lifelong medical care, repeated surgeries, rehabilitation and specialised support. Those costs are borne not only by families but also by the healthcare system and the wider economy through reduced educational attainment, lower labour productivity and lost human capital.

‘As Nigeria seeks to accelerate economic growth and human capital development, addressing hidden hunger must become a national priority. A healthier population is a more productive population,’ nutrition experts said

Neural tube defects are the second most common congenital neurological abnormalities in Nigeria. They include spina bifida, where the spinal cord does not develop properly; anencephaly, a severe underdevelopment of the brain that is usually fatal; and encephalocele, in which brain tissue protrudes through an opening in the skull.

While some children born with neural tube defects survive into adulthood with specialised care, others die shortly after birth or live with permanent disabilities that place enormous emotional and financial burdens on their families.

Health experts argue that many of these cases could be prevented if women receive adequate folic acid before conception and during the first four weeks of pregnancy, a period when many women are not yet aware they are pregnant.

That is why nutrition advocates are pushing for the mandatory fortification of bouillon cubes, one of the most widely consumed food products in Nigeria.

Unlike supplements, which depend on women accessing healthcare and remembering to take them daily, fortified bouillon cubes would deliver folic acid and vitamin B12 through a food already consumed in virtually every household, regardless of income or geography.

Dr. Jamila Lawal, a Nigerian nutritionist and public health expert, said fortifying foods that people already consume every day is a proven public health strategy.

‘What is wrong with fortifying the food people are already eating? We already fortify several staple foods. Nobody argues that flour should stop being fortified with vitamin A simply because some people choose not to eat bread. Bouillon cubes are part of our food culture and are consumed in almost every household. They are an appropriate vehicle for delivering folic acid, especially for women before and during pregnancy,’ Lawal said.

She said reliance on folic acid tablets alone has not delivered the desired public health outcomes because many women either begin taking supplements too late or do not take them consistently.

‘Fortification does not replace supplementation. It complements it by ensuring women receive essential nutrients through their everyday diet,’ she said.

Olusola Malomo, assistant director dietetics Lagos State Health Service Commission, General Hospital, Badagry, agreed that fortification could significantly reduce neural tube defects but warned that strict regulatory oversight would be essential.

‘If this initiative is meant to tackle neural tube defects in children, then it is a good one. Government must ensure that the right quantity of folic acid is added to the bouillon cubes so women are neither getting too little nor too much. Regulators must also verify that manufacturers are adding the correct vitamins, not just changing the flavour,’ Malomo said.

He urged manufacturers to conduct rigorous scientific testing before launching fortified products and called for nationwide awareness campaigns to educate women about the importance of taking folic acid before conception and during the first eight weeks of pregnancy.

To address concerns over sodium intake from seasoning cubes, Malomo suggested manufacturers could also develop fortified variants specifically targeted at women planning pregnancy and pregnant women.

The push for mandatory fortification is supported by growing scientific evidence.

A landmark Condiment Micronutrient Innovation Trial (CoMIT), involving more than 2,000 women and children in Ghana, found that bouillon cubes fortified with folic acid and vitamin B12 significantly improved blood levels of both nutrients across different population groups. Researchers concluded that bouillon is an effective vehicle for delivering essential micronutrients at population scale in West Africa, where household consumption is nearly universal.

Nigeria introduced voluntary standards for bouillon fortification in September 2024, allowing manufacturers to add folic acid, vitamin B12, iron, zinc and iodine. However, experts say voluntary adoption has been too slow to produce meaningful nationwide impact.

More than 40 percent of Nigerian women of reproductive age are estimated to have inadequate folate intake, while vitamin B12 deficiency remains common among low-income households with limited access to animal-source foods.

For nutrition experts, the debate is no longer about whether fortification works but whether policymakers are prepared to act.

With Nigeria striving to improve human capital and meet global nutrition targets by 2030, they argue that mandatory bouillon fortification is no longer simply a health intervention, it is an economic strategy capable of protecting future generations while reducing avoidable healthcare costs and strengthening the country’s long-term productivity.

Anyone following the World Cup would have noticed the passion, conviction, and emotion with which players and supporters sing their national anthems before kickoff. This scene consistently stands out. Some close their eyes; others place a hand on their chest. Many sing every word as though it were a personal creed.

Those moments demonstrate that a national anthem is far more than just a song; it is a symbol of a nation’s identity, history, and collective aspirations.

That is why a troubling question comes to mind whenever I watch such scenes: how many Nigerians can confidently sing our national anthem today?

Since the reintroduction of ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ in 2024, millions of Nigerians don’t know or have struggled to remember, let alone sing, the country’s official anthem.

Attend any public event where the anthem is played, and you will often see people merely moving their lips, uncertain of the words, or simply standing in silence. At various local or international sporting events, our athletes don’t sing along.

‘Whatever criticisms may have been made of it, it had become familiar and widely accepted. Replacing it overnight inevitably created confusion and weakened the sense of familiarity that gives national symbols their enduring power.’

This should not be surprising. The restored anthem was Nigeria’s national anthem for only eighteen years, from 1960 to 1978. In contrast, ‘Arise, O Compatriots’ served as the nation’s anthem for forty-six years, from 1978 until 2024. By any measure, far more Nigerians grew up with the latter than with the former.

The previous anthem had become deeply embedded in Nigeria’s civic culture. Generations of Nigerians recited it in schools, sang it during morning assemblies, and heard it at official ceremonies and national events. Whatever criticisms may have been made of it, it had become familiar and widely accepted. Replacing it overnight inevitably created confusion and weakened the sense of familiarity that gives national symbols their enduring power.

One is tempted to ask: does the President genuinely expect Nigerians who were born and raised between 1978 and 2024 to suddenly embrace and memorise a different anthem? Has he forgotten the Igbo saying that you cannot learn how to use your left hand in old age? ‘Adighi amu aka ekpa n’nka.’

A national anthem derives its real power not from official proclamation but from public acceptance and familiarity. It must live in the hearts of the people before it can resonate through stadiums, classrooms, churches, mosques, and public squares. An anthem that citizens do not know cannot effectively perform its most important function: fostering national unity and identity.

For this reason, I believe President Bola Tinubu’s decision to revert to the former national anthem ranks among the most unnecessary and ill-advised policy choices of his administration. At a time when Nigeria faces pressing economic, security, and governance challenges, changing the national anthem was hardly a national priority.

This decision, moreover, looks more like a personal preference dressed up as policy than a response to any need felt by ordinary Nigerians. In an interview during Nigeria’s 2022 Independence Day celebrations, Tinubu said the old anthem ‘described us much better’ and that, given the choice, he would bring it back. He has now achieved his goal.

Little wonder the change appears to have solved no urgent problem: it served his personal preference, not the wishes of the wider public, and in the process created confusion for millions who had grown up knowing the anthem it replaced. National identity is strengthened through shared experiences and collective conviction, not by repeatedly altering symbols that citizens have already embraced.

Beyond the anthem itself, this issue raises broader concerns with our rubberstamp National Assembly led by Senator Akpabio.

The National Anthem Bill was passed by the National Assembly with remarkable speed, reportedly within a matter of days and with little public consultation. Concerns raised by various stakeholders, including the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), were largely brushed aside. Classical Akpabio brushed off the AFG concern by saying he is not a lawmaker and does not have a full understanding of how bills are passed.

How puerile, a strikingly thin response to a germane concern.

Senator Tahir Monguno, while presenting the committee’s report, stated that the anthem reflected Nigeria’s values, aspirations, and cultural identity and would inspire greater patriotism and cooperation among citizens.

Two years after its reintroduction, it is fair to ask Senator Monguno and Senator Akpabio whether those lofty objectives have been achieved. Has the new anthem inspired greater patriotism? Has it strengthened national unity? Has it fostered cooperation among citizens? Most importantly, how many Nigerians can confidently sing it today?

Whether one prefers ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ or ‘Arise, O Compatriots’ is ultimately a matter of personal opinion. What is not in dispute is that changing the anthem has done little to improve the daily lives of Nigerians. The country now finds itself in the unusual position of having a national anthem that many of its citizens neither know nor sing with confidence.

I therefore respectfully call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider this decision and restore the anthem that generations of Nigerians grew up knowing. Such a step would undoubtedly require humility and political courage.

Yet leadership is not measured by an unwillingness to revisit decisions; it is measured by the wisdom to acknowledge when a policy has failed to achieve its intended purpose.

It is never too late to correct a mistake. Indeed, the willingness to do so is often the hallmark of great leadership.

In an era of declining trust in institutions, ethical leadership is no longer a desirable ideal. It is an imperative for sustainable organisational and national development.

Ethical leadership goes beyond personal morality. It is the disciplined practice of leading with integrity, fairness, accountability, transparency and responsibility. Whether in a company, a church or a nation, sustainable progress depends not only on strategy and resources but also on the character and conduct of those entrusted with power.

Why ethical leadership matters for organisations

For organisations, ethical leadership has become a strategic necessity. The decisions leaders make, the behaviour they reward and the misconduct they tolerate ultimately determine whether an organisation earns trust or loses it.

Trust remains the currency of leadership. Employees are more committed when they believe their leaders are fair and honest, while customers are more likely to remain loyal to organisations they consider responsible. The collapse of Germany’s Wirecard in 2020 demonstrated the devastating consequences of prioritising appearances and short-term gains over integrity. This was directly caused by systemic accounting fraud. Executives prioritised the illusion of continuous, rapid growth to maintain stock prices and appease investors, resulting in massive debt and pound 1.9 billion in missing funds.

Similarly, South Africa’s Steinhoff scandal showed how corporate misconduct can destroy enormous financial value and undermine confidence in institutions. When the accounting scandal broke in late 2017, Steinhoff’s stock plunged by over 90% in just a few days.

‘Leaders also shape organisational culture through what they model, reward and tolerate. Employees watch what leaders do more closely than what they say.’

The lesson is straightforward: unethical practices may produce impressive results for a time, but the consequences eventually arrive through lawsuits, regulatory sanctions, reputational damage and the loss of stakeholder confidence. Ethical organisations, by contrast, are better positioned to attract talent, retain customers and achieve sustainable growth.

Leaders also shape organisational culture through what they model, reward and tolerate. Employees watch what leaders do more closely than what they say. When leaders demonstrate integrity and accept accountability, these behaviours gradually become embedded in the organisation. When leaders excuse dishonesty because ‘the results are good’, they send an equally powerful message.

Ethical leadership also improves decision-making. It encourages leaders to look beyond immediate profitability and consider the impact of decisions on employees, communities, customers and future generations. In that sense, ethics is not a constraint on performance. It is the foundation of sustainable performance.

How ethical leadership impacts nations:

The same principle applies to nations. National development is often measured by roads built, economies grown and infrastructure delivered. But beneath every sustainable development story lies a more fundamental question: how are leaders using power and public resources?

Ethical leadership promotes good governance by strengthening accountability, transparency, the rule of law and responsible stewardship. Singapore’s transformation from a developing country into a prosperous global economy illustrates how integrity, effective institutions and public accountability can contribute to national progress.

It also encourages economic growth. Investors are more willing to commit capital where governance is predictable, contracts are respected and institutions function fairly. The experience of countries such as Canada demonstrates that capital follows confidence, and confidence is strengthened by ethical governance.

Beyond economics, ethical leadership strengthens social cohesion. Citizens are more likely to cooperate with the government and one another when leaders demonstrate fairness and integrity. Japan’s strong culture of institutional responsibility and collective duty has, for decades, contributed to national resilience.

Nigeria’s recent experience offers a sobering reminder of the importance of institutional controls. The discovery of the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, which the Presidency described as fictitious, led President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the ICPC to investigate. The controversy also raised questions about how more than ?1.3 billion could reportedly be associated with the entity in the 2026 budget. The allegations and circumstances remain subject to investigation, but the episode has already highlighted the dangers of weak oversight and the importance of accountability.

Ultimately, the choices leaders make today determine the quality of society tomorrow. Ethical leadership is therefore not a luxury or an abstract moral ideal. It is the practical foundation for good governance, economic prosperity, social trust and sustainable development.

Nations may rise through resources and opportunity, but they endure through responsible leadership.

Conclusion

Ethical leadership is not an optional leadership style; it is a fundamental requirement for sustainable organisational and national development. Vision without ethics leads to exploitation. Power without ethics leads to corruption. Progress without ethics becomes unsustainable.

Organisations prosper when leaders inspire trust through integrity. Nations flourish when leaders place public interest above personal ambition.

The future of our organisations and our nation will not be determined merely by the brilliance of our leaders, but by their character.

Ultimately, ethical leadership is the bridge between power and purpose and between leadership and lasting development.

Nigeria handed out 37 oil and gas blocks to 31 companies on Tuesday, capping a licensing round that regulators say marked the first time frontier basins far from the country’s traditional Niger Delta heartland drew serious investor appetite.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) said 143 firms lodged 200 bids for the blocks on offer in Abuja, though only 37 of the 50 available assets attracted any bids at all.

The remaining 13 will go back to the drawing board for further technical work before returning to market, according to the commission.

The bulk of the winning blocks sit in familiar territory with 16 in the Niger Delta onshore and 18 in the shallow water, plus a single deep-offshore block.

But the round’s headline was the interest shown in acreage the industry has long treated as unproven: three blocks in the Benin Basin, four in the Anambra Basin, four in the Chad Basin and four in the Benue Trough.

‘This is the first time in Nigeria’s energy history that frontier basins would attract such level of investor interest,’ the commission said in a statement.

Among the winners are SSonic Petroleum, Dutchford E and P, Attabanson Global Company, Rosem Energy, Pivot-GIS, Network E and P, Asharami, LexOil, Gupsco Energy, Concept-Reel Petroleum Services, Clinton Oil Field, Blackrock Holdings and Highban Resources, along with more than a dozen other companies that picked up single or multiple blocks across the terrains on offer.

Conditional awards

None of the allocations is final yet, as Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, chief executive of NUPRC, said winners will only receive their formal awards once they pay the applicable signature bonus and secure sign-off from the Minister of Petroleum Resources, as required under the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021.

Eyesan said each winning bidder must satisfy post-bid conditions, including guarantees, the signature bonus, first-year rent and execution of contractual documents, within 90 days of receiving an offer letter, or forfeit the asset entirely. Companies that miss the deadline will see their blocks passed to reserve bidders in order of ranking.

‘The government is not seeking speculative holders of acreage; it is seeking partners with the capacity, discipline and commitment to deliver measurable production and economic value,’ Eyesan said.

She added that the commission would also hold firms to a ‘drill or drop’ standard once assets are handed over, meaning companies that sit on undeveloped licenses risk losing them.

Regulators framed the 13 blocks that drew no bids as a reflection of their frontier status rather than a setback.

‘Frontier means that they have not yet been de-risked, and so we were not surprised when we saw that some of these assets returned with no bidders,’ Eyesan said, adding that the commission would carry out further studies before relisting them.

Reserves and output targets

The commission estimates the awarded acreage could add roughly 500 million barrels to Nigeria’s reserves, which currently stand at 37.01 billion barrels of crude and condensate alongside 215.19 trillion cubic feet of gas.

Eyesan said the blocks are expected to contribute a minimum of 300,000 barrels per day of crude and condensate production within three years of development, a contribution she called central to Nigeria’s push to reach 3 million barrels a day of output by 2030.

‘These projections represent more than additional barrels; they represent increased government revenue, improved foreign-exchange earnings, greater utilisation of infrastructure, opportunities for indigenous service companies, employment creation, technology transfer and broader economic growth,’ she said.

Ekperikpe Ekpo, minister of state for petroleum resources (gas), said the round underscores Nigeria’s push under its ‘Decade of Gas’ initiative, with new upstream investment expected to expand domestic gas supply and support industrialisation.

Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum (oil), argued the assets are especially valuable now given the standoff between Iran and the U.S., which he said has elevated the strategic worth of Nigeria’s position along the Gulf of Guinea.

He also welcomed the fact that the Petroleum Industry Act stripped ministers of discretionary powers to hand out blocks directly, saying the licenses awarded should function as working assets rather than trophies.