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VP Shettima Calls For Concerted Efforts To Tackle Food Insecurity In Nigeria

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2 years ago

March 3, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

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By Gloria Ikibah

Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has called on Federal, states and local governments to work together to turn the tide against hunger in Nigeria.

The Vice President stated this on Thursday in Abuja at the inauguration of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security.

Shettima was represented by the Special Assistant to the President on Public Health Focal person on Nutrition Office of the Vice President, Mrs Uju Rochas Anwukah.

He commended the House for the timely initiative to address food shortages, this he said demonstrates a clear understanding and the urgency and complexity before Nigeria.

Anwukah said: “As we gather here today to address the multi faceted issue of food security and the looming nutritional dangers facing our nation, let us remember that we are all threats in this intricate tapestry of transformation. Each of us play a unique role, from policy makers to farmers, from civil society to private sector partners, to move the policies into actions.

“The renewed hope administration under the visionary leadership of President Bola Tinubu is determined to tackle this food shortage and nutritional challenges that we face today. This challenge not only can be changed but will be changed for the interest and progress of our country”.

”As a government and as a people, it is not time for accusations, it is not time to cast blames, it is definitely not time for politics. It is the time to exchange ideas. It is the time for commitments. It is the time to take responsibility. It is a time for patriotism. Let us, Ladies and gentlemen, more than ever, work together to turn the tide against hunger and malnutrition. Let us sew the seed of change and reap the harvest of wellbeing, prosperity and resilience for all Nigerians”, she said.

While inaugurating the committee, Speaker of the House, Rep. Tajuddeen Abbas, lamented that over 35 million children under the age of five years are currently impacted by malnutrition.

According to him, among the 35 million, 12 million are already stunted; three million are wasted while 23.5 million suffer from anemia.

He further stated that an additional 17.7 million individuals are facing hunger, with 2.6 million children confronting severe acute malnutrition in 2024 adding that among women of childbearing age, 7% experience severe acute malnutrition.

He said: “These figures may exacerbate due to the current food inflation rate, which stands at about 33.7% (according to the Central Bank of Nigeria).

“This Committee is very crucial to the vision of the House to ‘be responsive, results-oriented and effective in performing its constitutional mandate towards the security and welfare of Nigerians.

“Nigeria, like the rest of the world, is experiencing a food crisis, exacerbated by climate change, rising inflation and pervasive insecurity. Hence, the decision of the House to set up a Committee that would be dedicated to fashioning legislative measures actions to tackle the menace of food insecurity and malnutrition affecting our people.

“According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) about 26.5 million Nigerians would be grappling with high levels of food insecurity in 2024, while the country is said to have the second highest burden of malnutrition in the world, with 32% children under the age of five stunted or chronically malnourished”.

The Speaker further that the World Food Programme’s September 2023 publication of the ‘Nigeria Hunger Map’ estimates that 24.9 million Nigerians are in an acute or critical stage of hunger, categorized as an emergency, while 85.8 million Nigerians have insufficient food consumption.

Among this population, he continued, 47.7 million Nigerians resort to crisis-level or above-crisis-level food-based coping strategies.

“The above data paints a very gloomy picture requiring urgent legislative action. This is particularly so given that some of the causative factors are issues within the legislative competence of the House to deal with.

The food and nutrition crisis affecting us as a nation is partly caused by global warming and climate change, pervasive insecurity across the country which prevents farmers and herders from engaging in their various agricultural activities, poor irrigation, outdated land tenure system, crude and traditional farm practices on subsistence levels as well as a myriad of other challenges”, he added.

Similarly, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Atiku Bagudu, restated the government’s commitment to puting measures in place to ensure adequate nutrition and food security for Nigerians.

“We have the National Food Security Council Chaired by no less a person than the Vice President, Kashim Shettima. We are participants in the United Nations Food System Transformation as well as the institutional alignment through the Ministry of Agriculture being recognised as the Ministry of Agriculture and that of Food Security.

“This is commendable. We recall that in the last administration under former President Muhammadu Buhari, a national security council was created chaired by the President himself and I was privileged to be the Vice Chair of that council.

“What led to it is the recognition that food security is not an agriculture issue, not a health issue, not an environment issue, not a physical security issue. It is all of it. So we need to have stakeholders around the table so we can appreciate, we can do better. The same thing with nutrition.

“The House of Representatives is helping in addressing the challenges. Mr President has recognized these issues and is committed to addressing them.” Mr Bagudu said.

On his part, the chairman of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Rep. Chike Okafor, commended the House leadership for setting up the specialized Committee which focuses on food security and nutrition.

“This is the first time in the history of the Legislature in Nigeria that the leadership of the House thought it necessary to set up a distinct and exclusive Committee for greater legislative attention to critical interventions in the cross-cutting issues of food and nutrition. The creation of this Committee would serve as a swift response to the present economic realities, especially the current unaffordability of basic foods in Nigeria arising from uncontrolled inflation and scarce means”. Hon Okafor said.

He also said that the House would soon convey Food security Summit as part of deliberate measure to address food challenges in Nigeria.

Stakeholders at the meeting commended the House for setting up the food and nutrition committee saying that it would bring legislative backing to food security in Nigeria.

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Senate Passes MTEF/FSP, Says 2026 Budget To Be Presented This Week

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30 seconds ago

December 17, 2025

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The Senate has passed the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper, indicating President Bola Tinubu is expected to present the 2026 Appropriation bill of N54.4 trillion this week.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, announced the passage on Tuesday following the consideration and debate on the report presented by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Sani Musa.

Akpabio described the MTEF as a prerequisite for the presentation of the national budget, underpinning that the document does not represent a final position of the legislature.

“The Medium-Term Expenditure Framework is only a prerequisite before the presentation of the budget. What we are discussing here is not a finality. If circumstances change, it will be brought back to us to rejig, react or act,” the former governor of Akwa Ibom said.

Senator Akpabio explained that the passage of the MTEF would enable the National Assembly to receive the 2026 budget proposal between now and Thursday.

According to him, the framework is not cast in stone, as reviews can still be made when the budget is formally laid before the Senate.

He expressed hope that the projections contained in the framework would be realistic enough to support the effective implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

During a brief debate, Senator Mohammed Monguno noted that the MTEF clearly outlined key fiscal parameters, describing them as realistic.

Monguno cited the projected daily crude oil production benchmark of 1.84 million barrels per day as achievable, and the reduction of the oil price benchmark projection to 60 dollars from 64 dollars per barrel as circumspect, given current realities.

Following the deliberations, the Senate adopted the recommendations contained in the MTEF/FSP report through a voice vote.

On Thursday, the upper chamber received the 2026–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper from President Tinubu, signalling the launch of the 2026 budget cycle.

In a letter addressed to the lawmakers, Tinubu said the submission complies with statutory requirements and sets out the fiscal parameters that will guide the preparation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.

President Tinubu explained that the MTEF/FSP outlines the macroeconomic assumptions, revenue projections, and spending priorities that will shape Nigeria’s fiscal direction over the next three years.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), who read Tinubu’s letter during plenary, urged the lawmakers to expedite consideration of the document.

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PSG Dominate As FIFA Announces 2025 ‘The Best’ 11 Award For Men, Women [FULL LIST]

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2 minutes ago

December 17, 2025

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FIFA has unveiled the 2025 The Best Men’s and Women’s 11, celebrating the standout performers in world football over the past season.

The announcement was made on Tuesday at the awards ceremony held in Doha, Qatar, with Paris Saint-Germain dominating the men’s selection.

Six players from PSG’s Champions League-winning squad were named in the Men’s 11 after helping the French side lift their maiden UEFA Champions League title and reach the final of the FIFA Club World Cup.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, now with Manchester City, was picked alongside Achraf Hakimi, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha and Ousmane Dembélé.

Club World Cup adidas Golden Ball winner Cole Palmer also earned a place in the team, while 18-year-old Spanish sensation Lamine Yamal was included following a breakthrough season.

The Best FIFA Men’s 11 (2025)

Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma
Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Willian Pacho, Virgil van Dijk, Nuno Mendes
Midfielders: Cole Palmer, Vitinha, Pedri, Jude Bellingham
Forwards: Ousmane Dembélé, Lamine Yamal

FIFA said the men’s team was picked based on performances between 11 August 2024 and 2 August 2025.

Votes were cast by a panel of football experts and registered fans on FIFA.com, with both groups carrying equal weight.

In the women’s category, players from Spain and England dominated the 2025 The Best Women’s 11, with seven Spanish stars and four English players making the final selection.

The recognition followed an intense year at both club and international level. Spain and England faced each other in the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 final, while Arsenal defeated Barcelona in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final.

The Best FIFA Women’s 11 (2025)

Goalkeeper: Hannah Hampton
Defenders: Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson, Irene Paredes, Ona Batlle
Midfielders: Aitana Bonmatí, Patricia Guijarro, Claudia Pina
Forwards: Alexia Putellas, Alessia Russo, Mariona Caldentey

The women’s team was determined using the same voting process and assessment period as the men’s selection, with nominees evaluated on their impact at club and international level.

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ICPC Receives Dangote’s Petition Against NMDPRA CEO Ahmed, Promises Probe

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5 minutes ago

December 17, 2025

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it will probe Aliko Dangote’s allegation against the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk.

Dangote, the Chairman of the Dangote Group, on Tuesday submitted a petition to the commission, accusing Ahmed of corruption and financial impropriety.

Hours after the industrialist’s move, the ICPC acknowledged the receipt of the petition and promised to investigate the matter.

“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) writes to confirm that it received a formal petition today Tuesday 16th December, 2025 from Alhaji Aliko Dangote through his lawyer,” the agency’s spokesman, John Odey, wrote in a statement on the commission’s social media platforms.

“The petition is against the CEO of the NMDPRA, Alhaji Farouk Ahmed. The ICPC wishes to state that the petition will be duly investigated.”

In the petition submitted to ICPC, the Kano-born businessman, through his lawyer, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), alleged that the NMDPRA boss spent, without evidence of lawful means, of income amounting to over $7 million for the education of his four children in schools in Switzerland for a period of six years upfront.

He alleged that Ahmed used the NMDPRA to embezzle and divert public funds for selfish gains and pursuit of private interest to the detriment of the Nigerians.

“It is without doubt that the above facts in relation to abuse of office, breach of Code of Conduct for public officers, Corrupt enrichment, embezzlement are gross Act of corrupt practices for which your Commission (ICPC) is statutorily empowered under section 19, of the ICPC Act to investigate and prosecute,” part of Dangote’s petition read.

“Upon a successful prosecution of such a person, under section 19, of the ICPC Act, the person is liable to imprisonment for five years without an option of fine.

“We make bold to state that the ICPC is strategically positioned along the sister agencies to prosecute financial crimes and other corruption related offences, and upon establishing a prima facie case, the Courts do not hesitate to punish offenders.

“In view of the above, we call on the Commission under your leadership to investigate the complaint of abuse of office and corruption against Engr Farouk Ahmed and to accordingly, prosecute him if found wanting.

“We have no reservation that being a matter that is in the public domain, the Commission will not close its eyes to it but act decisively to ensure that justice is done and the good image of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is protected.”

The House of Representatives, has, however, summoned both parties, asking them to stop public comments over the matter.

According to the lawmakers, the feud may negate the strides recorded in the downstream sector.

Since Dangote’s allegations, neither the NMDPRA nor its CEO has commented on the matter.