By mid-2025, around 33.1 million Nigerians, including over 514,000 displaced persons in Borno, Sokoto, and Zamfara states, could face severe food insecurity, according to a report presented at the 2024 Cadre Harmonisé (CH) National Validation in Abuja.
The report highlights a critical food security challenge as Nigeria’s lean season approaches.
The findings point to a combination of factors—including inflation, a weakened currency, and disruptions in livelihoods—that have substantially impacted households’ ability to access sufficient food.
Temitope Fashedemi, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, represented by Director of Nutrition and Food Security, Nuhu Kilishi, emphasized the gravity of the situation, calling for immediate action from government bodies and humanitarian organizations.
Fashedemi stressed the need to integrate CH analysis findings into food and nutrition security initiatives across the 26 participating states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He highlighted the impact of subsidy removals and rising fuel prices on Nigeria’s agricultural sector, noting that increased transportation costs have driven up food prices and reduced farmers’ profit margins. Security challenges, he said, have further strained the food supply chain, affecting production, distribution, and household consumption.
The Ministry expressed appreciation for the contributions of international partners like FAO, CILSS, and WFP in expanding CH analysis and training for states not yet involved.
The report called for sustained humanitarian efforts, investment in climate-smart agriculture, support for agribusinesses, development of early warning systems, and increased budgetary backing for CH analysis to mitigate looming food shortages.
