A new report has revealed that an alarming 33 million people are expected to face acute food insecurity in Nigeria by 2025. The food insecurity and malnutrition analysis, known as Cadre Harmonisé, was led by the Government of Nigeria and supported by partners.
The report highlights the worsening food security situation in the count Food Insecurityry and predicts that 33.1 million people will face high levels of acute food insecurity during the upcoming lean season, from June to August 2025.
A statement issued on Thursday, by Chi Lael, the head of communications and media for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), said: “This represents an alarming increase of 7 million people from the same period last year, driven by economic hardship, coupled with record-high inflation, the effects of climate change, and persistent violence in the northeastern states of the country.”
The report further projected that from October to December 2024, 25.1 million people will experience acute food insecurity, even during the peak of the harvest season. “Of this, 3.8 million live in the northeastern states, and this number is projected to rise to 5 million,” the statement added.
According to the WFP, the number of people experiencing emergency levels of food insecurity is expected to rise significantly.
“Nationally, the number of people experiencing emergency levels of food insecurity is projected to increase from 1 million in the peak of the 2024 lean season to 1.8 million at the same time in 2025, representing a worrying 80 per cent rise.”
The statement also revealed the grave situation for vulnerable groups, noting that: “Approximately 5.4 million children and nearly 800,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are at risk of acute malnutrition or wasting in six of the most affected states: Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe in the northeast, and Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara in the northwest. Of these, an alarming 1.8 million children could face severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and require critical nutrition treatment.”
Nigeria’s economic challenges are a major contributor to this crisis, exacerbating food insecurity. The report pointed to the “economic hardship, compounded by record-high inflation (which reached 40.9 per cent for food, and 34.2 per cent for all items in June 2024).”
The statement went on to highlight the increase in food prices, which have skyrocketed due to inflation and transportation costs.
“This is a record increase in food prices amid record-high transportation costs. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the price of beans in October 2024 was 282 per cent higher than the same period in 2023. Similarly, the price of local rice rose by 153 per cent compared to October last year.”
The report also noted that these economic shocks have contributed to the devaluation of Nigeria’s local currency, the naira, against the US dollar, compounded by external economic factors and last year’s policy changes, including the discontinuation of the fuel subsidy.
Further complicating the situation, “other major factors driving food insecurity in the country include the effects of climate change, particularly floods, which directly impact the rising costs of both food and essential non-food commodities and services.”
Trend analyses for the northeastern states have shown consistently high or rising food insecurity levels since 2018, with the number of people requiring urgent assistance increasing by at least 4 million annually during the lean season since June 2020.
“The number of people requiring urgent assistance has increased by at least 4 million annually during the lean season since June 2020,” the statement read.
The report also pointed to the critical food insecurity in the northwest and parts of the north-central regions, which have emerged as major hunger hotspots requiring urgent attention. The WFP emphasized that these regions demand immediate action from decision-makers to address the crisis.
Dominique Kouacou, FAO Representative ad interim in Nigeria and to ECOWAS, expressed the Food and Agriculture Organization’s continued commitment to helping Nigeria combat food insecurity.
“Working closely with our partners, FAO is dedicated to implementing durable solutions that tackle the underlying causes of food insecurity and malnutrition. By enhancing agri-food systems, we strive to meet urgent needs while promoting long-term, sustainable progress for communities,” Kouacou said.
David Stevenson, WFP’s Country Representative in Nigeria, underscored the need for urgent action, particularly in the northeast, where the situation remains dire.
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“The hunger crisis in Nigeria is fuelled by the ongoing conflict in the northeast and needs to be urgently addressed. Restoring peace in the northeast is critical for us to build pathways to production and achieve the northeast’s potential as the food basket of the country.”
UNICEF’s Country Representative, Ms. Cristian Munduate, stressed the urgency of the situation, especially for the children who are bearing the brunt of the crisis.
“Children are at the centre of the food insecurity crisis and face irreversible consequences – both physical and cognitive, and potentially even death. It is our moral imperative to ensure that the right of every child to adequate food and nutrition is upheld,” Munduate said.
The United Nations has called on the Nigerian Government, donors, and stakeholders to take immediate action to address the crisis.
The statement urged all parties to commit resources and implement measures to avert a potential food and nutrition disaster in the country.
“The United Nations urges the Nigerian Government, donors, and stakeholders to commit resources and implement measures to avert a potential food and nutrition disaster, emphasising the need for immediate multi-sectoral support across the nation.”
