Nigeria is beginning to face a severe food crisis due to climate change, economic instability, and ongoing conflict, which threaten to force millions more into food insecurity. In response, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has issued an urgent appeal for support, forecasting that by 2025, 33 million Nigerians may confront intense food shortages. This would nearly double the current number of needy individuals, with severe hunger set to affect the northeast, including states such as Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, where over five million people are already suffering from food insecurity. Other regions like Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto risk becoming major hunger zones.
Economic difficulties have worsened the crisis, with its Inflation reaching unprecedented levels. As of September 2024, food inflation was recorded at 37.77 percent, while the general inflation for all goods reached 32.7 percent, according to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The surge in inflation has caused significant rises in Nutrition costs, with essential products like beans now 282 percent more than the previous year and local rice experiencing a 153 percent increase. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, major factors contributing to these price increases include rising transportation expenses and the naira’s depreciation against the U.S. dollar.
Climate change, 2023 fuel subsidy removal are key impacting factors.
Additional economic shocks have come from last year’s removal of fuel subsidies, which has only intensified the inflationary pressure on households. The impacts of Climate Change are also experienced, particularly through frequent and devastating flooding that has caused significant losses in agriculture. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that from October 1 to 15, 2024, floods impacted over 9.2 million people and flooded 4.5 million hectares of territory, submerging about 1.6 million hectares of agricultural land.
This flooding could lead to major declines in important crop production, such as maise, sorghum, and rice, with projections indicating a loss of about 1.1 million tonnes, which could sustain 13 million individuals for one year. Economically, these damages may amount to nearly $1 billion, posing a serious threat to the nation’s Economy and complicating submerging distribution networks even further. Adding to the crisis are the ongoing conflicts in northeastern states, where violent insurgencies continue to displace populations and disrupt agricultural activities. Fifteen years of insurgency have created a vicious cycle of displacement and poverty, particularly in communities dependent on farming.
UNICEF, FAO and WFP called for an urgent response to the crisis.
Farmers face the dual challenges of Insecurity and Environmental Degradation in these regions, significantly reducing local production. The humanitarian implications are severe, with 5.4 million children and 800,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women currently at risk of malnutrition. An estimated 1.8 million children could suffer from severe acute Malnutrition if immediate interventions are not made. The WFP, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the FAO are urging prompt and strong action to tackle the worsening nutrition emergency in the nation.
Therefore, the suggested approach focuses on three key areas which includes prevention, mitigation, and urgent support. Implementing preventative actions like providing seeds, fertilisers, and financial assistance to vulnerable farmers is essential in combating hunger’s increasing threat. Efforts to mitigate the crisis will focus on strengthening nutrition programs and health services and ensuring access to clean water and Sanitation Facilities (WASH). Life-saving support, particularly through emergency nutrition and sustenance supplies, will be essential in sustaining communities facing severe food insecurity.
Related Article: FG, UNICEF reaffirms commitment for WASH
Lastly, the WFP emphasises the critical need for prompt and unified response. To prevent famine, international backing and the joint initiatives of Nigerian civil society, governmental bodies, and the Private Sector are essential. The rate at which this crisis escalates is causing concern, as the increases in affected populations, the widening areas impacted by this crisis, and the potential for worsening conditions all indicate an urgent need for enhanced measures. As a result, the emergency underscores the critical requirement for enduring approaches to protect vulnerable communities from starvation. The United Nations and its affiliates are intensifying their initiatives, redistributing resources, and preparing for a notable operational response.