Convened by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), SBN Nigeria was launched on April 21, 2016. Aligned with the SUN movement’s overarching vision, our goal is to create a world without malnutrition by 2030. SBN Nigeria was set up with the mandate to serve as the central hub for engaging the private sector in addressing nutrition-related issues throughout the country. Over the past seven years, SBN Nigeria has been dedicated to strengthening private sector contribution towards improving nutrition and enhancing the impact of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria, thus increasing access to affordable nutritious and safe foods.
The SUN Business Network (SBN) aims to increase the availability and affordability of safe, nutritious foods to consumers, especially low-income consumers through activities at national and sub-national levels. At a national level, SBN convenes businesses, assesses technical, financial and other business support service needs for members, and advocates the role of businesses in addressing nutrition at the country level. At a sub-national level, SBN acts as a focal point for engaging local businesses in nutrition activities such as advocating for adoption of nutrition best practices in promoting healthier diets.
SBN will continue to build on its successes with an enhanced focus on supporting SMEs to scale, including youth and women-led businesses, by advocating and working with the government to facilitate an enabling business environment to unlock business investment in nutrition, both for SMEs and large national companies.
It will also work to further strengthen sub-national engagements with the private sector to build strategic relationships and encourage positive nutrition related contributions by the sub-national members.
The SUN Business Network is co-convened by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and the World Food Programme (WFP). However, in Nigeria it is solely convened by GAIN and the SUN secretariat which is resident in the Federal Ministry of Health.
At a global level, SBN acts as a mechanism for engaging Multi-National Companies (MNCs) in nutrition and critically, for supporting national SBN networks to mobilize local businesses in line with national nutrition priorities and plans.
SBN Nigeria aims to increase the availability and affordability of safe, nutritious foods to consumers, especially low-income consumers through activities at global and national levels. At a national level, the SBN convenes businesses, assesses technical, financial and other business support service needs for members, and advocates the role of business in addressing nutrition at country level.
SBN Nigeria aims to increase the availability and affordability of safe, nutritious foods to consumers, especially low-income consumers through activities at global and national levels. At a national level, the SBN convenes businesses, assesses technical, financial and other business support service needs for members, and advocates the role of business in addressing nutrition at country level.
At a global level, SBN acts as a mechanism for engaging Multi-National Companies (MNCs) in nutrition and critically, for supporting national SBN networks to mobilize local businesses in line with national nutrition priorities and plans. This work is led by the SBN Global Secretariat who ensure that national SBN networks have the tools, information, resources, and connections required to make progress on their national SBN priorities. In addition to country support, the SBN Global Secretariat works with its 25 global MNC Network members to support nutrition commitment-making, including on workforce nutrition, and foster global partnerships with investors, MNCs and others to provide finance or technical assistance to country networks and most importantly, their business members. The SBN Global Secretariat also works with partners to organize and support the inclusion of country voices in global and regional Advocacy initiatives around nutrition.
The SBN Global Secretariat works through its team of strategically placed regional SBN focal points to strengthen strategic linkages and partnerships with regional businesses, organization, and platforms that have substantial reach across multiple countries within food systems across SUN countries. Our regional activities disseminating key learnings and best practices within and between countries.
At national level the network is led by specialist dedicated coordinators assisted by small teams. The coordinators have solid private background and understanding of the food systems. National networks also organise access to practical business solutions (including technical assistance, finance, business development support and technology), often through local providers, to improve businesses’ overall strength and readiness to enhance business practices for nutrition.
SBN Nigeria also works with dedicated executive members of the network elected by members, with the collective aim of empowering SMEs, food entrepreneurs and other national businesses to be more successful and to make a bigger contribution to nutrition priorities and national food system development. As part of this work, sub-national SBN teams work with the State government to strengthen nutrition plans and related policies for engaging the private sector in nutrition at sub-national levels.