Malnutrition remains a significant public health concern in Nigeria, particularly among infants, where early detection is crucial for effective intervention. Growth monitoring is a preventive health measure that involves regular measurement and assessment of an infant’s growth parameters to identify deviations from expected patterns. This systematic review aimed to assess the current state of growth monitoring practices in Nigeria and evaluate its effectiveness as a tool for the early detection of malnutrition in infants relied on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and Ecological Systems Theory (EST) as the Theoretical framework. A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed articles, government reports, and relevant grey literature published between 2014 and 2024 was conducted across databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and African Journals Online (AJOL). Inclusion criteria focused on studies conducted in Nigeria, involving infants aged 0–24 months, and addressing growth monitoring practices and their outcomes.Findings revealed that growth monitoring is implemented in various healthcare settings in Nigeria but faces challenges such as inadequate training of healthcare providers, irregular record-keeping, lack of essential equipment, and limited community awareness. Despite these challenges, growth monitoring proved to be a valuable tool in identifying early signs of malnutrition, enabling timely interventions such as nutritional counseling, supplementary feeding, and referral to appropriate care. However, its effectiveness is often hindered by inconsistent practices and gaps in follow-up care. The review concludes that strengthening growth monitoring systems through healthcare worker training, provision of standardised tools, and increased community sensitisation could significantly improve early detection and prevention of malnutrition among Nigerian infants.