Nigeria is facing a severe food crisis, with over 31.8 million people suffering from acute food insecurity and malnutrition, particularly among women and children.
This is according to the 2024 Cadre Harmonise report, which attributes the surge in food commodity prices to the removal of fuel subsidies and security challenges.
The Cadre Harmonise report corroborated a report earlier made by Africa Health Report on the skyrocketed prices of food in the country.
The report, presented by development partners including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Green Action in Enterprises (GAIN), and GIZ, shows a sharp increase from the 18.6 million people assessed as vulnerable to acute food insecurity in 2023.
The stakeholders are calling for a multi-sectoral approach to address food security, involving civil society organizations and the private sector,,with a pledge to support the transformation of Nigeria’s food system.
The report highlights the need to address the challenges simultaneously, including the rise in food inflation above 40% and the impact of removed fuel subsidies on transportation costs. Raids by bandits have also forced farmers to leave their fields, contributing to higher food prices.
The study used statistics from a nutrition analysis by the Cadre Harmonise and was produced by development partners including the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization and the German development agency GIZ.
