By Ngozi Nwankwo
Amidst rising food insecurity and malnutrition in Nigeria, the United Nations World Food Programme,WFP, Executive Director, Cindy McCain, has urged public and private sector leaders to work together to tackle the root causes of hunger and build peace in Nigeria, as she concludes a visit to the country.
Despite its huge agricultural potential, Nigeria is now in the grips a widespread humanitarian crisis driven by poverty, recurring conflicts, and climate shocks – with 32 million people struggling to feed themselves.
During her five-day visit to Nigeria, the Executive Director witnessed firsthand how conflict, climate shocks, and high food and fuel prices are driving millions into acute hunger and malnutrition.
“What I have seen and heard during my visit to Damasak, in Borno State, is deeply disturbing. An urgent humanitarian crisis is unfolding in northern Nigeria, as the number of children with acute malnutrition soars and the ongoing conflict prevents millions from returning to their homes and lands.
“People there desperately need peace and stability, so farming and food production can restart and this hunger crisis can be halted in its tracks,”said Executive Director McCain.
The prolonged humanitarian crisis – worsened by an economic slowdown, high inflation, rising food prices, and the recent floods – is endangering the lives of children, pregnant women and girls, and entire communities. Over 3.6 million people in northeastern and northwestern states have been forcibly displaced by conflict and are not able to access their farmlands or engage in other economic activities. With devastating flooding hitting Maiduguri in September – described as the worst in 30 years – more than 400,000 people have also been temporarily displaced in and around the city.
Meanwhile, malnutrition is rising, with nine million children at risk of acute malnutrition in the country. The number of children admitted for severe and moderate acute malnutrition has risen by 40 and 70 percent compared to 2023.
WFP is on the ground, supporting government-led efforts responding to the most urgent needs, and doing all it can. So far this year, WFP has assisted 1.6 million people affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis, distributing 32,000 mt of food and US$ 40 million in cash entitlements. But the scale of the crisis calls for a response that goes beyond these badly-needed humanitarian interventions.
In Abuja and Lagos, Director McCain engaged with senior government and private sector leaders, creative industries, international financial institutions, the United Nations, and donor representatives to explore African-led solutions, and discuss the role of the private sector and entrepreneurship in addressing food insecurity and youth employment.
“WFP’s commitment to delivering lifesaving assistance and tackling the root causes of hunger in Nigeria is stronger than ever. By mobilizing funding, technology, and ambitious new partnerships between the private and public sectors, we can support rural livelihoods, strengthen food systems and offer sustainable solutions to food insecurity that empower local communities,” Director McCain noted.
Nigeria – West Africa’s most populous and largest economy – has the potential to play an outsize role in stabilizing the region and helping to ensure sustainable food security and nutrition for millions, provided the country receives the attention commensurate with its strategic importance.
WFP is working with the Government of Nigeria and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) on a ground-breaking food systems programme that will help communities escape the cycle of conflict by building the resilient, inclusive and effective food systems they need to achieve self-reliance.
Through the “Out of Conflict, into Solutions” food systems strategy, WFP will seek to address post-harvest losses, limited access to agricultural inputs, poor dietary diversity and limited access to food in Nigeria.
Agriculture is a cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy – providing employment to more than a third of the labor force – up to 80 percent in rural areas. The private sector is one of the key contributors to developing extensive supply chains, including production, processing, manufacturing and distributions.
WFP needs US$228 million to stave off catastrophe in northeast Nigeria and meet the food and nutrition needs of 1.6 million over the next six months.