25 million Nigerians at high risk of hunger in 2023, UN warns

By Onome Amuge

The October 2022 Cadre Harmonisé, a government led and UN-supported food and nutrition analysis carried out twice a year, has warned that nearly 25 million Nigerians are at risk of facing hunger during the 2023 lean season between June and August ,,if urgent action is not taken.

This, according to a statement by the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF), is a projected increase from the estimated 17 million people currently at risk of food insecurity. Continued conflict, climate change, inflation and rising food prices were further attributed as key drivers of the alarming trend.

“Food access has been affected by persistent violence in the north-east states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) and armed banditry and kidnapping in states such as Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Benue and Niger,” the statement read.

Citing a report by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), it disclosed that widespread flooding in the 2022 rainy season damaged more than 676,000 hectares of farmlands, which diminished harvests and increased the risk of food insecurity for families across the country. It added that the flooding is one of the effects of climate change and variability impacting Nigeria. More extreme weather patterns affecting food security are anticipated in the future.

The report also noted that of the 17 million people who are currently food insecure, three million are in the northeast BAY states.

“Without immediate action, this figure is expected to increase to 4.4 million in the lean season. This includes highly vulnerable displaced populations and returnees who are already struggling to survive a large-scale humanitarian crisis in which 8.3 million people need assistance,” the report warned.

Cadre Harmonisé found that the northwest region, around Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto states, is an increasing food insecurity and malnutrition hotspot, with an estimated 2.9 million people currently critically food insecure. It projected that the  figure would increase to 4.3 million in the lean season if urgent action is not taken.

Matthias Schmale, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, remarked that the  food security and nutrition situation across Nigeria is deeply concerning.

“I have visited nutrition stabilization centres filled with children who are fighting to stay alive. We must act now to ensure they and others get the lifesaving support they need,”Schmale added.

According to UNICEF, children are the most vulnerable to food insecurity, as approximately six of the 17 million food-insecure Nigerians today are children under five living in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Sokoto, Katsina and Zamfara states.

The United Nations humanitarian agency pointed out that there is a serious risk of mortality among children attributed to acute malnutrition. It also noted that in the BAY states alone, the number of children suffering from acute malnutrition is expected to increase from 1.74 million in 2022 to two million in 2023.

To this end, UNICEF, in partnership with the government and partners such as Médecins Sans Frontières  (MSF) and the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA), has committed to investing in scaling up preventive nutrition interventions, while ensuring that vulnerable children have access to life-saving nutrition services.

In 2022, UNICEF with partners, said it was able to reach approximately 650,000 children with life-saving nutrition services across the six states mentioned above.

With the support of partners, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), said it  has aided the government to restore livelihoods in the northeast and northwest regions. This includes livestock production, crop production, homestead micro gardening, value chain development and aquaculture.

The United Nations, however,  called on the Nigerian government,the donor community, and public and private stakeholders to urgently commit resources and implement mitigation measures to save lives and prevent a potentially catastrophic food security and nutrition situation.

“Support for vulnerable families across the country is needed today, not tomorrow,” it stated.