The Federal Government of Nigeria has stated that over 31.8 million Nigerians are currently experiencing acute food shortages, primarily due to ongoing security challenges and the recent removal of fuel subsidies. This information comes from a study conducted by several international development partners, highlighting a widespread malnutrition crisis affecting women and children.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, the findings were presented during government meetings on Monday and Tuesday.
The study, conducted by partners including the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), and the German development agency GIZ, relied on statistics from the Cadre Harmonisé—a regional food security framework—to analyze nutrition data.
The report states, “The surge in food commodity prices, which is a result of the removal of fuel subsidies, in addition to security challenges, has placed millions of Nigerians in a precarious situation.”
Sanjo Faniran, Nigeria’s National Convener of Food Systems and Director of Social Development in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning noted that the study provided valuable insights by identifying gaps, successes, challenges, and key recommendations.
The report aligns with findings from other international organizations such as the World Bank, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and the World Food Program (WFP). Earlier this year, the World Bank’s food security report for Nigeria projected that seven northern states would face severe challenges due to escalating food inflation and insecurity in key food-producing areas. The Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast has severely disrupted food production, leading to widespread destruction of farmlands. Additionally, the farmer-herder crisis and ongoing banditry have significantly impacted agricultural output in the Northwest and Northcentral regions.
These security issues, combined with disruptions in global food supply chains, drove Nigeria’s food inflation rate up by over 40% in June, although it declined marginally in July.
Federal Government’s Efforts to Combat the Food Crisis
To combat the food crisis, the federal government is considering implementing state and community policing to help secure farming communities. Up to 10,000 agro-rangers have been deployed to 19 states to help combat insecurity.
Moreover, the government has approved the duty-free importation of foods such as rice, maize, beans, and sorghum for 150 days, pending when farmers harvest their products. However, this plan has sparked concerns among some stakeholders in the agricultural sector, who argue that it could undermine the gains made in local food production.
