ABUJA — The latest Cadre Harmonisé report on food and nutrition insecurity analysis reveals that by 2025, an estimated 133.1 million Nigerians will face severe food insecurity, with an urgent call for action from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and international partners. Prepared in collaboration with the federal government and partners such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF, the report highlights a worsening crisis fueled by economic struggles, high inflation, and climate-related challenges.
The analysis indicates a sharp increase of 7 million food-insecure Nigerians compared to last year, largely due to economic hardship and inflation, with food costs rising by 40.9% in June 2024. The northeast and northwest regions, particularly Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara, are projected to see 5.4 million children and 800,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women suffering from acute malnutrition. An alarming 1.8 million of these children could face severe acute malnutrition, needing urgent treatment.
At the report’s presentation, Dr. Temitope Fashedemi, representing the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, emphasized adopting the findings to shape policy and intervention efforts across ministries and agencies. FAO’s Dominique Koffy Kouacou reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s food security, while WFP’s David Stevenson stressed the need to restore peace in the northeast to unlock its potential as a national food source.
UNICEF Country Representative Cristian Munduate underscored the crisis’s impact on children, stating, “It is our moral imperative to uphold every child’s right to food and nutrition.” The UN urges the federal government and donors to mobilize resources and support multi-sectoral initiatives to prevent a looming disaster.