The Federal Government has revealed that over 31.8 million Nigerians are currently facing severe food shortages, a situation exacerbated by ongoing security issues and the recent removal of fuel subsidies.
The distressing information comes from a study conducted by international development partners, which highlights a worrying increase in malnutrition among women and children.
The findings were presented during meetings with government officials earlier this week, as reported by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning. The study, a collaborative effort by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), and the German development agency GIZ, utilized data from the Cadre Harmonise; a regional framework for food security; to assess the crisis.
The report states, “The surge in food commodity prices, driven by the removal of fuel subsidies and ongoing security challenges, has plunged millions of Nigerians into a precarious situation.”
Nigeria’s National Convener of Food Systems and Director of Social Development at the Ministry, Sanjo Faniran, emphasised that the study provides valuable insights into existing gaps, successes, and challenges, offering key recommendations for addressing the crisis.
The federal government’s report corroborates findings from other international organizations, including the World Bank, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and the World Food Program (WFP). Earlier this year, the World Bank projected that seven northern states would face severe food security challenges due to rising food inflation and insecurity in major food-producing regions.
The Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast has severely disrupted food production, leading to widespread destruction of farmlands. Similarly, conflicts between farmers and herders, along with ongoing banditry, have adversely impacted agricultural output in the Northwest and Northcentral regions.
The security issues, coupled with global food supply chain disruptions, have driven Nigeria’s food inflation rate above 40% as of June, although there has been a slight decrease in July.
In response to the crisis, the federal government is considering the implementation of state and community policing to protect farming communities. Additionally, the deployment of 10,000 agro-rangers across 19 states aims to address security concerns. The government has also approved a 150-day duty-free importation period for essential food items, including rice, maize, beans, and sorghum, to alleviate shortages until local harvests can meet demand. However, this measure has raised concerns among agricultural stakeholders who fear it may undermine recent gains in local food production.