As Nigeria struggles with rising food insecurity, the United Nations has estimated that an additional 7 million Nigerians may face hunger by August 2025. This dire forecast exerts additional pressure on a nation already struggling with economic instability, social unrest, and pervasive poverty. Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, is dealing with a serious humanitarian catastrophe amid a complicated structure of social, economic, and environmental issues. National and international organizations are urging immediate action to address the many reasons contributing to Nigeria’s worsening food situation as the present food crisis worsens.
Following the fuel subsidy removal and the currency float measure was implemented, Nigeria’s immediate Food Security picture is dire. Millions of lives are at risk due to a confluence of environmental problems, political unrest, and rising pricing. Nigeria’s Inflation rate, which as of September 2024 was around 32.7%, has risen to some of the highest levels in recent times, mostly due to rising food and fuel prices. For many Nigerians, staple goods like rice, maize, and millet have become more and more expensive, and the average household’s purchasing power continues to decline.
Nigeria has long struggled with poverty crisis.
Poverty remains deeply rooted in the country with more than 40 percent of the population currently living below the Poverty line and hunger rates increasing more quickly than relief efforts can stop. The nation has long struggled with this crisis. According to estimates, more than 25 million Nigerians experienced food Insecurity in 2023; this figure was raised by a combination of regional and international issues. As of March 2024, 43.7 million Nigerians were using crisis-level or above crisis-level hunger coping mechanisms, and 18.6 million were experiencing acute hunger, contributing to the country’s 100 million food insecure population by Q1 2024.
This sharp rise from 66.2 million in the first quarter of 2023 underscores the deteriorating crisis of food Security driven on by factors like inflation, economic instability, and violence. Nigeria’s food inflation rate jumped from 33.9% in December 2023 to 35.41% in January 2024. This unprecedented crisis necessitates immediate humanitarian measures as well as systemic improvements in order to address the root causes of food insecurity nationwide. Conflict and Climate Change are two of the main causes of the crisis, while there are other contributing elements as well.
Climate-related shocks impact farmers’ productivity.
Conflicts between farmers and herders in the Middle Belt have worsened the situation by forcing people off their property and making it impossible for farming activities to continue without worrying about being attacked. Communities are now dispersed, displaced, and unable to support themselves as a result of the circumstance. The Productivity of smallholder farmers, who provide the majority of Nigeria’s food supply, has been especially impacted by climate-related shocks. These farmers sometimes struggle to recover from natural disasters in the absence of proper Infrastructure or support networks, which leaves them more vulnerable to crises in the future.
Similar to the U.N, several international organizations and research institutes have expressed concern, with many predicting that food insecurity will worsen if immediate measures are not implemented. According to an earlier warning from the World Food Programme (WFP), Nigeria could encounter a “catastrophic” food crisis in 2025 if major factors including violence and climate vulnerability are not addressed. Experts from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) have also expressed worries about the Sustainability of the country’s food supply, considering the country’s current reliance on food imports to fulfill rising demands.
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According to IFPRI, Nigeria’s dependence on imports, particularly for staples like rice, makes it vulnerable to price shocks and interruptions in the global supply chain, both of which could have a significant impact on the availability and affordability of food domestically. Nigeria’s food security outlook is still unclear and primarily hinges on how quickly the government, local parties, and international organizations can work together to solve the root causes. Experts warn that if the current situation continues, more people beyond the 7 million estimated by the UN may go hungry next year.