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Nigeria is facing a worsening food security crisis, with more than one million additional people experiencing severe food insecurity in 2024 compared to the previous year.
This is according to the recently released Food Security Update Report by the World Bank.
The report indicated that Nigeria, alongside Ethiopia and Yemen, witnessed a significant rise in the number of people facing acute food shortages.
“Conversely, some countries saw improvements. Nations such as Afghanistan, Guatemala, and Kenya reported declines in food insecurity, with more than one million fewer people facing acute food crises, although these countries remained in significant food crisis situations.
“On the other hand, 18 countries experienced worsening situations due to factors including intensified conflict and climate-related shocks, such as droughts. Notable examples include Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Yemen, each witnessing an increase of more than one million people facing high levels of food insecurity from the previous year”, according to the report.
The report attributed Nigeria’s growing crisis to a mix of climate-induced issues and socio-political instability in various regions.
It noted, “In Nigeria, an estimated 1.6 million hectares of land have been inundated, including 342,650 hectares of cropland, affecting 685,770 vulnerable individuals. In Mali, 344,000 people were affected and 1.6 million hectares of land flooded, including nearly 500,000 hectares of cultivated land.
“Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo have also faced flooding, and northern and northeastern Nigeria and Ghana are experiencing dry spells, with adverse effects on crop production and thus food insecurity.
“In total, floods and droughts have affected approximately 3.5 million people, who require emergency support. It is estimated that $50m is needed to help 760,200 communities meet their basic food needs.”
Data from the report further showed that domestic food price inflation in Nigeria remained among the highest globally, with food prices increasing by 37.5% year-on-year as of August 2024.
The surge in prices had put a strain on household incomes, making it increasingly difficult for low-income families to afford basic food items.
The report called for urgent intervention to address the immediate food needs of affected populations while also focusing on long-term solutions to improve resilience against climate shocks.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that about 172 million Nigerians were unable to afford a healthy diet, according to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024 report.
