The UN agency Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has issued a dire warning, estimating that 80–82 million Nigerians may experience acute hunger by 2030, in the face of the country’s rising food insecurity.
Speaking on behalf of the FAO’s Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Taofiq Braimoh made this concerning prediction during the CropWatch launch in Abuja.
A recent survey indicated that almost 22 million Nigerians are anticipated to experience food insecurity in 2023, which Mr. Braimoh used to illustrate the severe situation.
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One of Nigeria’s annual food security surveys is carried out by the government in partnership with other organizations.
The startling findings for this year indicate that 22 million Nigerians will experience food insecurity in 2023 and that 80–82 million will be at danger of severe food insecurity by 2030,” he said.
The problem was exacerbated when Nigeria’s food inflation increased to 40.66 percent in May 2024, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
A minimum of 130 percent price increase in staple items like rice, beans, garlic, and yam has resulted from this inflation.
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For millions of Nigerians, these events have restricted their access to food and increased the country’s misery index.
Even after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a food insecurity emergency and implemented a number of policies and initiatives, the issue still exists.
In an attempt to resolve the situation, President Tinubu recently gave governors instructions to submit their large-scale food production programs.
