The food and nutrition insecurity analysis, Cadre Harmonisé, led by the Government of Nigeria and supported by partners, alerts on the deterioration of food security in Nigeria with 33.1 million people expected to face high levels of food insecurity in the next lean season (June-August).
The Food and Agriculture Orgamisation (FAO) of the United Nations in a statement said that it is an alarming 7 million people increase from the same period last year,
driven by economic hardship, coupled with record high inflation, impacts of climate change and persistent violence in the northeastern states.
“Between October and December 2024, 25.1 million people are likely experiencing food insecurity even at the peak of the harvest season.
“Of this, 3.8 million live in the northeastern states. This number is projected to rise to 5 million.
Nationally, the number of people experiencing Emergency levels (Phase 4) of food insecurity is projected to increase.
“While no populations have been classified as Catastrophe (Phase 5),
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populations experiencing Emergency (Phase 4) is anticipated to increase from 1 million people in the peak of the 2024 lean season to 1.8 million people at the same period in 2025, representing an 80 percent increase,” the stated added.
FAO also explained that approximately 5.4 million children and nearly 800 000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are at risk of acute malnutrition or wasting from six of the most affected states of 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 grapples with several factors that continue to exacerbate the food insecurity situation namely economic hardship, coupled with record high inflation (which reached 40.9 percent for food, and 34.2 percent for all items in June 2024).
“This is a record increase in food prices and record high transportation costs.”
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the price of beans in the country in October 2024 was 282 percent higher compared to the same period in 2023. Similarly, the price of local rice saw an increase of 153 percent compared to October last year.
“These economic shocks resulted from a combination of factors including the continuous devaluation of the local
currency (Naira) against the United States Dollar (USD), external economic factors, and last year’s policy changes on discontinuation of the fuel subsidy.
“Other major factors driving current and projected food insecurity in the country include impacts of climate change, particularly floods, which directly impact the rising costs of both food and essential non-food commodities and services. From 1 to 15 October 2024 alone, FAO recorded that the floods impacted over 9.2 million people and submerged 4.5 million hectares of land, including approximately 1.6 million hectares of farmland.”
Analysis indicates that due to the extent and persistence of the floods, the potential annual production losses for maize, sorghum and rice combined in the flooded areas, could be about 1.1 million tonnes. This could feed 13 million people
for a year. In financial terms, the potential cereal crop losses amount to almost USD 1 billion in economic losses.
Further explanation is that persistent violence in the northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) hinders food availability and access.
“Additionally, armed banditry and kidnappings in northwest and farmer- harder conflict in the northcentral states, including Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Benue,Plateau and Niger, exacerbate the prevailing economic struggles.
“Trend analysis for the northeastern states indicates consistently high or rising food insecurity levels
since 2018. The number of people requiring urgent assistance has risen by at least 4 million annually during the lean season since June 2020.“
Furthermore, the northwest and parts of the north-central regions now exhibit critical levels of severe food insecurity and malnutrition, marking them as major hunger hotspots that demand attention from decision makers.
Represented by Dr Nuhu Kilishi Mohammed, Director of Nutrition and Food Security, Dr Temitope Fashedemi, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, underscored the significance of the Cadre Harmonisé during a presentation in Abuja recommended
that the results be adopted for planning and implementation of food and nutrition security interventions across the federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), 26 Cadre Harmonise states, the humanitarian community and other partners in Nigeria.
FAO Representative ad interim in Nigeria and to ECOWAS, Dominique Koffy Kouacou, expressed FAO’s continued commitment to supporting Nigeria.
“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,” Koffy said.
Highlighting the long-standing issue, David Stevenson, WFP’s Country Representative, said,
“Thehunger crisis in Nigeria, fueled by the ongoing conflict in the northeast, needs urgent addressing.
“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, emphasized the urgent need for action.
She said, “Children are at the center 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.”
The United Nations urges the Nigerian Government, donors, and stakeholders to commit resources and implement measures to avert a potential food and nutrition disaster, emphasizing the need for immediate multi-sectoral support across the nation.
