Security Lapses Worsen Nigeria’s Food and Nutrition Crisis — Experts Warn

Nigeria’s worsening security situation is increasingly threatening the country’s food and nutritional security, as violence, poor infrastructure and weak logistics continue to disrupt the movement of food from farms to markets across the nation.

From insurgency in the North-East to persistent banditry in the North-West, thousands of farming communities have been displaced, forcing many farmers off their lands and weakening agricultural output. Experts say the impact goes beyond production, extending deep into Nigeria’s already fragile supply chain.

According to the United Nations Cadre Harmonisé, over 26.5 million Nigerians are projected to face acute food insecurity in 2024, while 2.6 million children risk severe acute malnutrition figures analysts describe as alarming.

Speaking on the situation, Arogundade Oluwasegun, MCIPS, CIPSMN-Chartered, said Nigeria’s food crisis cannot be separated from its security challenges.

“Food security is no longer just an agricultural issue; it is a national security concern. When farmers cannot access their land and food cannot move safely across regions, the entire supply chain collapses,” he said.

Beyond insecurity, infrastructure decay continues to deepen losses within the agricultural system. The World Bank estimates that about 80 per cent of Nigeria’s road network remains in poor condition, leading to post-harvest losses of up to 40 per cent, particularly for perishable produce such as tomatoes and vegetables.

To address this gap, the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project – Scale Up (RAAMP-SU), supported by a $600 million investment from the World Bank and the Federal Government, targets the rehabilitation of 6,500 kilometres of rural roads, the creation of State Road Funds, and the promotion of climate-resilient infrastructure.

Arogundade noted that such interventions are critical but must be sustained.

“Infrastructure is the backbone of supply chain resilience. Without functional rural roads, farmers remain cut off from markets and consumers continue to pay inflated food prices,” he explained.

However, even where road access exists, traders say movement is hindered by multiple taxation and extortion at checkpoints. A report by SBM Intelligence revealed that 53.3 per cent of food transporters identified bad roads as their major challenge, while 25 per cent cited multiple taxes and 21.7 per cent complained of harassment by security operatives.

In some states, the burden is severe. Traders in Cross River State report paying as much as ₦1,000 per bag of garri across more than 50 checkpoints, a situation that causes prices to nearly triple before goods reach urban markets.

The consequences are increasingly visible in the country’s nutrition statistics. UNICEF reports that 11 million Nigerian children under five live in food poverty, with 40 per cent stunted and 8 per cent wasted. Among adolescents, underweight prevalence stands at 73.3 per cent, largely due to poor dietary diversity and micronutrient deficiencies.

Experts argue that these figures reflect systemic failures rather than isolated health challenges.

“Malnutrition is not just a health issue it is a logistics failure,” Arogundade stated. “When nutrient-rich food cannot reach families affordably and on time, children pay the price.”

In response, the Federal Government has introduced reforms aimed at easing movement across supply routes. The 2025 Tax Reform Acts, signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, seek to eliminate over 60 overlapping levies, outlaw physical tax checkpoints, and harmonise haulage charges through a unified digital system.

State governors have also pledged to dismantle illegal roadblocks and collaborate with federal agencies to streamline levies.

Analysts say effective implementation could significantly reduce food inflation, restore confidence in agricultural trade and strengthen supply chain efficiency nationwide.

As Nigeria grapples with feeding a population of over 220 million people, nearly half of whom are youths, experts insist that food security must go beyond production figures.

“Nigeria’s future cannot survive on calories alone,” Arogundade concluded. “Our young population needs proteins, micronutrients and balanced nutrition. Until our roads are secure, our taxes consolidated and our farmers protected, the nation’s nutritional future will remain at risk.”