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United Nations body warns 33m Nigerians could face acute food insecurity by 2025
A new report from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) projects that Nigeria will experience a sharp rise in food insecurity, with 33 million people facing acute food shortages by 2025.
The report, issued Thursday through WFP communications officer Chi Lael, highlights the alarming trends in food insecurity and malnutrition across the country, as detailed in the Cadre Harmonisé analysis, which was led by the Nigerian government and supported by various partners.
The analysis predicts that 33.1 million people will face high levels of acute food insecurity during Nigeria’s lean season, from June to August 2025—an increase of 7 million people compared to the same period in 2024.
Factors driving this surge include severe economic difficulties, record-high inflation, the effects of climate change, and ongoing violence in the northeastern regions of the country.
“This represents an alarming increase of 7 million people from the same period last year, driven by economic hardship, coupled with record-high inflation, the effects of climate change, and persistent violence in the northeastern states of the country,” the statement said.
The report also highlights that, between October and December 2024, 25.1 million Nigerians will experience acute food insecurity, even during the peak of the harvest season. This includes 3.8 million people in the northeastern states, with projections indicating that number could rise to 5 million by year-end.
Nationally, the WFP estimates that the number of people facing emergency levels of food insecurity will jump by 80 percent, from 1 million people in the peak of the 2024 lean season to 1.8 million by 2025.
The WFP also emphasized the growing risk of acute malnutrition, particularly for children and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Approximately 5.4 million children, as well as nearly 800,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women, are expected to be at risk of malnutrition in six of Nigeria’s most affected states: Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe in the northeast, and Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara in the northwest. Of particular concern is the alarming figure of 1.8 million children who may face severe acute malnutrition (SAM), requiring urgent treatment.
Economic factors contributing to this crisis include soaring inflation and escalating food prices, with the cost of essential items reaching record highs. In June 2024, food inflation hit 40.9 percent, with the price of staples like beans rising by 282 percent compared to the previous year. Rice prices also surged by 153 percent. The devaluation of the naira, combined with economic policies such as the removal of the fuel subsidy, has further strained the country’s ability to cope with these challenges.
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“Other major factors driving food insecurity in the country include the effects of climate change, particularly floods, which directly impact the rising costs of both food and essential non-food commodities and services,” the statement noted.
The report also highlights the steady increase in food insecurity across northeastern Nigeria, with the number of people in urgent need of assistance rising by at least 4 million annually since June 2020. In addition, the northwest and parts of the north-central regions have seen critical levels of severe food insecurity and malnutrition, marking these areas as significant hunger hotspots that demand immediate attention.
Dominique Kouacou, the FAO Representative ad interim in Nigeria and ECOWAS, reaffirmed the FAO’s commitment to addressing the crisis. “Working closely with our partners, FAO is dedicated to implementing durable solutions that tackle the underlying causes of food insecurity and malnutrition. By enhancing agri-food systems, we strive to meet urgent needs while promoting long-term, sustainable progress for communities,” Kouacou said.
David Stevenson, WFP’s Country Representative, stressed the urgency of addressing the ongoing conflict in the northeast. “The hunger crisis in Nigeria is fuelled by the ongoing conflict in the northeast and needs to be urgently addressed. Restoring peace in the northeast is critical for us to build pathways to production and achieve the northeast’s potential as the food basket of the country,” he said.
UNICEF’s Country Representative, Ms. Cristian Munduate, underscored the devastating impact of food insecurity on children. “Children are at the centre of the food insecurity crisis and face irreversible consequences—both physical and cognitive, and potentially even death. It is our moral imperative to ensure that the right of every child to adequate food and nutrition is upheld,” Munduate said.
The United Nations is urging the Nigerian government, donors, and other stakeholders to act swiftly and commit the necessary resources to prevent a full-scale food and nutrition disaster. Immediate multi-sectoral support is deemed essential to mitigate the crisis and help avert widespread suffering.
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