*Says 24.8m Nigerians are food-insecure
Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja
The world’s biggest humanitarian organisation, World Food Programme (WFP) has reported that food security across Nigeria is deteriorating, with an estimated 24.8 million food-insecure people, including the 4.3 million in the North-east that require humanitarian assistance.
According to the just-released WFP situation update on Nigeria, “food security across Nigeria keeps deteriorating. Protracted conflict and insecurities in the North-east increased the internally displaced persons (IDPs) population by 24 per cent since 2020, and a fluctuating returnee population experiencing recurring displacements.
“In the North-west and North-central, armed banditry and kidnappings leave more than 1.2 million people fleeing to safety.”
The report noted that the recent mass abductions across the northern states constrain humanitarian access and limit access to agricultural lands.
“Food insecurity is exacerbated by heavy dependence on imports, which climbed 22.12 per cent year-on-year from February 2022. Inflation reached 31.7 per cent in February 2024, a 9.8 per cent increase from the same month in 2023 (National Bureau of Statistics).
“These combined security challenges and economic strain make food unaffordable for vulnerable people and limit their access to agricultural lands.
“In February, WFP held a joint planning meeting with key Borno State Government (BSG) agencies to review ongoing partnerships and identify opportunities across different thematic areas of food assistance, nutrition, livelihoods, and evidence generation.
“A joint draft plan has been submitted for government review. Once formally endorsed by the State Governor, both ends of the partnership will align priorities and monitor progress against set plans,” the WFP said.
Nigeria’s hunger score in 2023 was 28.3, placing it 109th out of 125 countries on the Global Hunger Index, the WFP recently said in the ‘Nigeria Annual Country Report 2023’.
The 109th position indicated six places down from 103rd in 2022.
According to the report, the escalation reflects compounding local and regional challenges, exacerbated by global events.
The report stated that “Nigeria’s hunger situation worsened in 2023, dropping six places in the Global Hunger Index to 109th out of 125 countries, compared to 103rd in 2022.”
Insecurity, economic hardships, and political tensions in the first two months of 2023 further exacerbated the situation, the report said.
