Ghana Hosts Global Nutrition Summit as Africa Takes Center Stage
Ghana is set to welcome the world's leading nutrition experts this September, as Accra plays host to the Micronutrient Forum's 7th Global Conference. The four-day event, running from 28 September to 1 October 2026, will bring together researchers, policymakers, and innovators from across the globe to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of our time: protecting and accelerating nutrition gains in a rapidly changing world.
Under the theme Nutrition at the Frontiers of a Changing Environment, the conference will be officially opened by Vice-President Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, underscoring Ghana's commitment to nutrition as a national development priority. This high-level participation signals a clear message: Ghana is ready to lead.
A timely global conversation
The timing of MNF 2026 could not be more critical. Climate change, humanitarian emergencies, conflict, displacement, and tightening financial conditions are putting decades of hard-won nutrition progress under pressure. The conference will examine how the global nutrition community can respond to these realities while building more resilient, equitable, and sustainable systems for the future.
Saskia Osendarp, PhD, Executive Director of the Micronutrient Forum, captured the moment well:
Nutrition at the Frontiers of a Changing Environment comes at a pivotal time for nutrition. With climate change, funding cuts and humanitarian emergencies threatening the progress made, the conference will bring together the evidence on how to advance nutrition in this new environment.
As the leading international nutrition platform in 2026, the conference will take stock of progress and gaps in delivering global commitments, translate evidence into tangible recommendations, and celebrate African leadership in nutrition.
Connecting science, implementation and policy
The scientific programme is built around three interconnected tracks: biology and efficacy, programme design and implementation, and the enabling environment. Discussions will span the integration of nutrition across agriculture, food, health, climate, and social protection systems, as well as nutrition financing, dietary change in evolving food environments, and nutrition responses in conflict and humanitarian settings.
Participants will also explore advances in micronutrient biology, artificial intelligence, and intervention design. A key focus will be on the effective and equitable delivery of fortification, supplementation, biofortification, and food-systems approaches. The goal is clear: translate knowledge into measurable and lasting improvements in nutrition.
Ghana at the centre of African nutrition leadership
Hosting the conference in Ghana places African expertise and locally led solutions at the heart of global research, investment, and policy discussions. The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) chairs the Local Organising Committee and is coordinating preparations with the Micronutrient Forum and partner institutions.
Prof Anna Lartey, Chair of the MNF 2026 Conference Committee and Professor of Nutrition at the University of Ghana, emphasised the transformative potential of the event:
Addressing micronutrient deficiencies in sub-Saharan Africa is an investment in human potential. It improves health, strengthens learning outcomes, raises productivity and helps build more resilient communities for future generations. Ghana's hosting of the Micronutrient Forum Conference 2026 presents a unique opportunity to elevate regional leadership, deepen collaboration and accelerate progress towards better nutrition across Africa.
The conference will provide a platform for professionals, institutions, and emerging leaders from Ghana and across the continent to share experience, strengthen partnerships, and help shape the future direction of nutrition action. By bringing the conference to Accra, MNF 2026 expands opportunities for regional participation and fosters closer collaboration between African stakeholders and partners worldwide.
What to expect beyond the four-day event
MNF 2026 is expected to generate practical recommendations that will inform research, policy, financing, and programme delivery well beyond the conference itself. The event will be delivered in a hybrid format, enabling participation both onsite in Accra and online.
Researchers, academics, policymakers, health and nutrition professionals, programme implementers, students, civil society organisations, development partners, and private-sector institutions are all invited to register and contribute to this important global exchange.
Frequently asked questions about MNF 2026
When and where will the Micronutrient Forum Global Conference take place?
The 7th Global Conference will be held in Accra, Ghana, from 28 September to 1 October 2026, with hybrid options for online participation.
Who is expected to attend the conference?
The conference will convene researchers, policymakers, programme implementers, funders, civil society, development partners, the private sector, students, and emerging leaders from Africa and around the world.
Why is Ghana hosting this event?
Ghana's hosting reflects the country's high-level commitment to nutrition as a national development priority and positions African expertise at the centre of global nutrition discussions.