A new report has revealed that a staggering 33 million people are expected to face acute food insecurity in Nigeria by 2025.

In a statement issued by the head of communications and media for the United Nations World Food Programme to The PUNCH on Thursday, the food insecurity and malnutrition analysis, Cadre Harmonisé, led by the Government of Nigeria and supported by partners, highlighted the deterioration of food security in the country.

The report predicts that 33.1 million people will face high levels of acute food insecurity during the upcoming lean season from June to August.

“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.

“Between October and December 2024, 25.1 million people are expected to experience acute food insecurity, even at the peak of the harvest season. Of this, 3.8 million live in the northeastern states, and this number is projected to rise to 5 million,” the statement read.

According to the WFP, nationally, the number of people experiencing emergency levels of food insecurity is projected to increase from 1 million in the peak of the 2024 lean season to 1.8 million at the same time in 2025, representing a worrying 80 per cent rise.

“Approximately 5.4 million children and nearly 800,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are at risk of acute malnutrition or wasting in six of the most affected states: Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe in the northeast, and Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara in the northwest. Of these, an alarming 1.8 million children could face severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and require critical nutrition treatment.”

The statement added that Nigeria is grappling with economic hardship, compounded by record-high inflation (which reached 40.9 per cent for food, and 34.2 per cent for all items in June 2024).

“This is a record increase in food prices amid record-high transportation costs. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the price of beans in October 2024 was 282 per cent higher than the same period in 2023. Similarly, the price of local rice rose by 153 per cent compared to October last year. These economic shocks have resulted in the continuous devaluation of the local currency, the naira, against the US dollar, external economic factors, and last year’s policy changes, including the discontinuation of the fuel subsidy.

“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.

“Trend analyses for the northeastern states indicate consistently high or rising food insecurity levels since 2018. The number of people requiring urgent assistance has increased by at least 4 million annually during the lean season since June 2020,” the statement read.

The WFP added that the northwest and parts of the north-central regions now exhibit critical levels of severe food insecurity and malnutrition, marking them as major hunger hotspots that demand attention from decision-makers.

FAO Representative ad interim in Nigeria and to ECOWAS, Dominique Kouacou, expressed FAO’s continued commitment to supporting Nigeria.

“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.

Highlighting the long-standing issue, WFP’s Country Representative, David Stevenson, said, “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.”

UNICEF’s Country Representative, Ms Cristian Munduate, emphasised the urgent need for action.

She said, “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.”

The United Nations urges the Nigerian Government, donors, and stakeholders to commit resources and implement measures to avert a potential food and nutrition disaster, emphasising the need for immediate multi-sectoral support across the nation