The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (UN FAO), in collaboration with the World Food Programme and other agencies, has raised alarm that approximately 26.5 million Nigerians across 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) may be at risk of facing an acute food crisis. This concerning information was disclosed in the October 2023 Cadre Harmonise report, presented to the Federal Government in Abuja.
The Cadre Harmonisé report serves as a comprehensive tool for generating relevant, consensus-based, rigorous, and transparent analyses of current and projected food and nutrition conditions.
According to the report, key drivers of the anticipated food crisis include the removal of subsidies on Premium Motor Spirit (commonly known as petrol), the naira’s redesign policy, floods, conflicts, and insecurity.
The UN and its partners conveyed, “About 26.5 million people, including internally displaced persons (528,000 in Borno, Sokoto, and Zamfara states), in 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, are expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August 2024.”
UN FAO Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Dominique Koffy, stated that the agency conducted assessments in various Nigerian states to identify populations at risk of food and nutrition insecurity. Koffy, represented by Abubakar Suleiman, the Assistant FAO Representative Programme, provided key results for regions affected by food and nutrition insecurity in the 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Regarding food consumption, Koffy noted that households might experience a slight to moderate deterioration in food consumption heading into the lean season (June to August 2024), which could lead to several states falling into the crisis phase. He highlighted that increased fuel prices, inflation, and high food production costs contributed to unacceptable food consumption levels.
The report also revealed a significant reduction in household stock, with over 60% of households reporting decreased stock levels, particularly in states heavily impacted by flash floods in 2023. Limited production activities were reported in crisis-affected states, which, combined with rising food prices, constrained food access.
Furthermore, the report highlighted the current malnutrition situation from May to September 2023 in North-Eastern states (Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe) and North-Western states (Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara), indicating a crisis to worse nutrition situation across the regions. The findings underscore the urgency of addressing the growing food and nutrition crisis in Nigeria.