Western and Central Africa Regional Conference on Early Childhood Nutrition

MEDIA ADVISORY

LOME, May 4th, 2026 - Africa's potential for human capital development and economic growth is severely undermined by inadequate progress in improving maternal nutrition and early childhood development. Malnutrition robs children of their futures and compromises national productivity and economies. Although the prevalence of stunting has fallen from 40% in 2000 to 33% in 2024, progress is still too slow. Based on these trends, the region will fall short of the global nutrition targets of reducing stunting by 40% by 2030.

The World Bank Group, in partnership with the Government of Togo and in collaboration with the Global Financing Facility (GFF) and several regional and international development partners, is organizing a regional conference on early childhood nutrition and development in Western and Central Africa.

The Lomé conference will focus on:

• How countries can operationalize early childhood nutrition and development at scale.
• Strengthening service delivery platforms, building staff capacity; Establishing an enabling environment; Advocating for sustainable financing; and availability of reliable data.
• Promoting existing regional and global initiatives and partnerships, ensuring coherence, clarity, and country ownership to help identify and implement concrete actions to accelerate early childhood nutrition and development outcomes.

WHO: The Government of Togo, representatives of the governments of Western and Central African countries, leaders of the World Bank Group, development and United Nations partners, members of the private sector, representatives of foundations and philanthropies, civil society, and academia.

DATE: Monday, May 11, 2026

TIME: 09:00 am Lome time, Togo

LOCATION: Hôtel 2 février, Place de l'Indépendance

MEDIA INTEREST: Press are invited to cover the opening and closing ceremonies.

RSVP: To obtain accreditation, please confirm your attendance by email to Mawulikplimi Affognon [email protected] ; or phone: +22892926618, no later than Thursday, May 07, 2026.