By Hosea Parah, Abuja

A new United Nations assessment has raised alarm over Nigeria’s growing food insecurity, forecasting that over 33 million people will face acute hunger by 2025. This marks a troubling rise of 7 million people from the previous year, driven by economic hardship, soaring inflation, climate change impacts, and ongoing conflict, particularly in the northeast.

The report, conducted as part of the Cadre Harmonisé initiative, was produced by the Nigerian government in collaboration with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). It underscores the scale of the crisis expected during the lean season from June to August 2025, when the number of Nigerians facing severe food shortages is predicted to reach critical levels.

David Stevenson, WFP’s Country Representative in Nigeria, emphasized that the crisis is heavily fueled by the ongoing violence in the northeast. “Restoring peace in the northeast is essential to rebuilding agricultural pathways and unlocking the region’s potential as the country’s food basket,” he said.

Even in the harvest season, projections for October to December 2024 show that 25.1 million Nigerians will suffer from acute food insecurity. Of these, 5 million are expected to be from conflict-affected areas in the northeast.

The report also predicts a sharp increase in the number of people facing emergency food insecurity (Phase 4), with figures set to rise from 1 million in 2024 to 1.8 million in 2025—a staggering 80 percent increase. The crisis is particularly severe for vulnerable groups, with around 5.4 million children and nearly 800,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women at high risk of malnutrition and wasting.

UNICEF’s Country Representative, Cristian Munduate, stressed the urgent need for action, noting, “Children are at the center of this crisis, facing potential irreversible physical and cognitive damage, or even death. We must act to ensure every child’s right to adequate food and nutrition.”

Economic factors have exacerbated Nigeria’s food insecurity, with inflation reaching a record 40.9 percent for food by June 2024. Prices for basic staples like beans and rice have surged, with beans up by 282 percent and local rice increasing by 153 percent. The devaluation of the Naira and policy shifts on fuel subsidies have further worsened the economic climate.

Climate change has also intensified the crisis. Recent floods have inundated 4.5 million hectares of farmland, affecting over 9 million people and resulting in production losses of 1.1 million tonnes of maize, sorghum, and rice—enough to feed 13 million people for an entire year.

Dominique Koffy Kouacou, FAO Representative ad interim in Nigeria, emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of food insecurity and malnutrition. “By strengthening agricultural systems, we aim to meet immediate needs while promoting long-term, sustainable solutions,” he said.

The report concludes with a strong call for urgent action. The United Nations is urging the Nigerian government, donors, and partners to prioritize resources for preventive measures and urgent interventions to avert a potential food and nutrition catastrophe.