Inflation, malnutrition, insecurity hit 32m Nigerians with severe suffering 

Business a.m.

Over 31.8 million Nigerians, particularly women and children, are facing severe hunger and malnutrition, a crisis largely driven by the spike in food prices and exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies and ongoing security challenges.

The extent of this pressing humanitarian crisis was laid bare in the most recent report by the 2024 Cadre Harmonise, a comprehensive analysis that unveiled the gravity of the situation facing millions of Nigerians, many of whom are at the mercy of unprecedented food insecurity.

Development partners, including the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), GAIN, GIZ, and Agsys, gathered at a two-day Joint Review Meeting in Abuja, where they issued a dire warning that Nigeria may soon face one of the worst cases of human starvation in history if urgent actions are not taken to address the country’s food security challenges.

The experts stressed the importance of adopting a multi-sectoral approach, emphasising the critical role of civil society organisations and the private sector in extending the reach of nutrition efforts and averting a looming humanitarian disaster.

Amid the grim predictions, the development partners reaffirmed their commitment to transforming Nigeria’s food system and mitigating the impact of this dire humanitarian crisis.

Emeka Vitalis Obi, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, set the tone for the meeting by underlining its primary objective, stating that the gathering would focus on assessing the current status of food transformation pathways and providing a platform for government agencies to share updates on their respective activities aimed at addressing food insecurity and malnutrition.

Sanjo Faniran, the national convenor of Food Systems in Nigeria and director of social development at the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, led the proceedings by expressing gratitude to all stakeholders for their unwavering commitment to transforming Nigeria’s food system.

Faniran elucidated the significance of the review meeting, which aimed to provide a thorough analysis of the progress made, identify gaps, successes, and challenges, and offer insightful recommendations for the future. 

Moreover, he emphasised the need for a collaborative peer review process among MDAs to improve the effectiveness of food transformation efforts.

The review meeting was marked by a technical session, during which experts addressed various aspects of food systems transformation. 

Sanjo Faniran provided an overview of the food systems transformation implementation strategy, while Kola Anigo discussed the critical role of multi-sectoral collaboration in advancing food systems transformation.

Furthermore, the FAO’s representative explored the topic of financing and resource mobilisation for food systems transformation, underscoring the vital need for robust investment in this sector.

Azeez Salawu highlighted the potential of Nigeria’s youth to drive innovation, foster inclusion, and fuel economic growth within the food system. 

In addition to the insightful presentations, the review meeting also featured reports from the 24 MDAs in attendance, detailing their respective progress in implementing food systems transformation initiatives.