Over 31 million Nigerians are expected to face an acute food crisis between June and August 2024, according to an updated report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).
In the 18 hunger hotspots identified in the report, which shows how insecurity will impact food insecurity around the world, Nigeria was identified as the country with the highest number of citizens expected to witness acute hunger during the specified months.
“Between June and August 2024, 31.8 million people (16 percent of the population analyzed) are projected to face Crisis or worse (CH Phase 3 or above) levels of acute food insecurity, with nearly 1 million people projected to be in Emergency (CH Phase 4),”.
FAO Report
According to the report, CH Phase 3 occurs when households have food consumption gaps, which are reflected by high or above-usual acute malnutrition, or when households are marginally able to meet minimum food needs but only by depleting essential livelihood assets or through crisis-coping strategies.
On the other hand, CH Phase 4, which will affect 1 million Nigerians, occurs when households have large food consumption gaps, which are reflected in very high acute malnutrition and excess mortality. CH Phase 4 is also when households are able to mitigate large food consumption gaps but only by employing emergency livelihood strategies and asset liquidation.
The country is also expected to experience acute malnutrition – above 10 percent – in five northern states, including Borno, Yobe, Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara, with 4.4 million children and over 580,000 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers expected to be acutely malnourished.
The reason for this projected food crisis was attributed to a “weakening multidimensional crisis driven by weakening macroeconomic conditions as well as heightened insecurity and subdued agricultural production.”
“Insecurity has been disrupting agricultural livelihoods and affecting the functionality of markets,” the report stated.
Profiling strategies to mitigate the projected impact, the report suggested agricultural inputs or unconditional cash transfers should be provided to displaced populations.
Additionally, the provision of anticipatory cash advances to individuals likely to be most impacted by floods was recommended.
However, on Thursday, June 28, 2024, during the 42nd National Economic Council, the Federal Government of Nigeria unveiled a ₦1 trillion economic relief package aimed at cushioning the effect of the soaring cost of living in the country.
Under the National Construction and Household Support Programme, about 100,000 families in each state are expected to receive a ₦50,000 grant monthly for three months. It is estimated that 3.7 million families will receive this grant.
Additionally, a total of ₦155 billion will be disbursed for assorted foods.