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By Gideon Okeke
Nigeria is a country of enormous agricultural promises; with vast arable land, a young farming population and a richly diverse food culture. Yet, today far too many Nigerians go to bed hungry, and the gap between potential and reality is painfully wide. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), estimates put the number of food-insecure population at over 33 million in its 2025 projections, while humanitarian agencies continue to highlight large case loads of children and women who are at risk of malnutrition. FAO reports that about 5.4 million children and nearly 800,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are at risk of acute malnutrition, with up to 1.8 million children potentially facing severe acute malnutrition.
Information from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics shows a core inflation rate of 20.33% while food inflation has risen to 21.87%. Many believe these figures are far cries from the realities of many households. The 2025 Global Hunger Index ranks Nigeria 115th position out of 123 countries thereby classifying Nigeria as facing “serious” level of hunger. The most recent Global Food Security Index (GFSI) ranks the country 107th out of 113 countries placing it in the league of nations with worst score in Food Insecurity Multidimensional Index (FIMI).
These poor ranking across all food security indicators have been attributed to a large number of factors. First, is food inflation which continues to batter the purchasing power of many households. Overtime, food prices have continued to rise spasmodically; confirming long held assertions that Nigeria’s households pay far more for basic food baskets, a burden that falls hardest on the poor. Secondly, conflict and insecurity in the northeast and parts of the northwest which form the bread basket of Nigeria have displaced farming households, disrupted planting and harvest cycles, and closed off markets. Where farmers cannot safely cultivate or transport produce, supplies fall and prices rise, consequently inflicting a double blow to food producers and consumers alike.
Thirdly, climate extremes such as floods, droughts and shifting rain patterns increasingly erode productivity in rain-fed agricultural systems as obtainable in Nigeria. Soil degradation, weak irrigation coverage and inadequate storage amplify post-harvest losses. Other note worthy causes include structural weaknesses, underinvestment in extension services, weak market infrastructure, and frictions in input supply which keep smallholders farmers trapped at low food productivity. To guarantee availability and unfettered access to food, successive governments have at various points introduced different programmes.
Some of these programmes include but not limited to National Food Security Programme (NFSP) under the Agriculture Promotion Policy (APP) established in 2016, National Policy on Food and Nutrition (2001) and more recently the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme. However, these initiatives have failed to achieve the goal of making Nigeria a food-secure economy. The failure of these programmes have been attributed to factors ranging from inconsistent funding, delays in disbursement of inputs or loans, Infrastructure gaps , poor implementation strategies, corruption, weak extension services, and lack of farmer access to markets just to mention a few. This dire situation leaves food policy experts and other key stakeholders wondering if Nigeria will achieve the zero hunger Sustainable Development Goals before the fast approaching deadline of 2030.
Firstly, citizens are optimistic that this is achievable if the will power and the right strategies are adopted. Transforming food systems requires decisive political will and inclusive governance at every level. Governments must take ownership of efforts to develop food systems that are sustainable, equitable, and resilient, addressing all forms of malnutrition while considering the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of food from production to consumption. This involves enshrining the right to food in law, establishing clear accountability frameworks and promoting food sovereignty. A strong political commitment to transparent and inclusive governance will be essential to drive meaningful change.
Secondly, long-term food security depends on sustainable, climate smart agricultural practices that protect natural resources while enhancing productivity. This means investing in technologies that are both innovative and locally adaptable, safeguarding land and water rights, and promoting ecological restoration. Collaborative action between governments, key stakeholder, private actors, and research institutions can help build efficient, inclusive agricultural value chains that provide decent livelihoods and stable food access. Responsible leadership is needed to ensure these efforts are supported, coordinated, and shielded from political or economic disruptions.
Thirdly, Subsidy programs that focus on yield-raising inputs (improved seed, fertilizer), combined with training and assured market access, have produced dramatic harvests in parts of Africa such as Tunisia, Malawi and many more. However, subsidies must be well-designed, targeted, time-bound, and accompanied by extension and soil-health measures to avoid dependency and creating another type of petroleum subsidy scam. Also, expanding small-scale irrigation and water-harvesting reduces climate vulnerability and lengthens growing seasons. Evidence from agro-based economies like India shows, that investment in irrigation, rural storage and market infrastructure can greatly lift productivity, reduces losses, stabilize food prices and incomes when paired with market linkages.
Conflict remains one of the most persistent drivers of food insecurity. The destruction of farmland, loss of livelihoods, population displacement, and disruption of food supply chains perpetuate hunger and poverty. Preventing and mitigating these impacts requires proactive investment in peace building, early warning systems, and risk-informed interventions that protect both lives and livelihoods. Governments, development partners, and communities must work together to tackle the root causes of conflict and strengthen social cohesion, ensuring that food systems can recover and thrive even in fragile contexts. Coordinated efforts that blend security, local mediation, and livelihood support are essential in conflict affected agricultural zones.
Cash transfer to vulnerable households as a strategy to control hunger has been a subject of debate among food security expert and policy makers. With the tendencies of being misused and diverted for other purposes, evidence have equally shown that direct, cash transfers protect household food access immediately and stimulate local markets because beneficiaries buy from nearby sellers. Countries such as Brazil and Kenya have used conditional and unconditional cash transfers to sharpen food access and resilience through programmes such as Bolsa Família and national safety-net pilots respetively, while international evidence shows that cash performs well when markets function.
In Nigeria, expanding well-targeted transfers for lean seasons and crisis-affected communities would buy urgent relief while avoiding some inefficiencies of food pipelines. Data driven complement transfers with transparent targeting and payments to reach remote households faster would help mitigate the harsh effects of food insecurity in conflict affected communities. Where local supply shortfalls exist, transparent, temporary reserve releases of grain stocks through a well structured public distribution system as done in India can reduce price spikes while guaranteeing access to food. Effective food policy programme should use targeted sales from strategic reserves, public procurement for school feeding, and predictable market signals to support farmers as stronger market information systems will help both producers and consumers make better decisions. To win the war against hunger, accountability matters.
Data systems which incorporate early warning, price monitoring and nutrition surveillance should drive transparent, timely responses. Communities, farmers’ groups and women’s organizations must be partners in designing local solutions. Nigeria needs sharper and better coordinated food security strategies. The lesson from countries that have reduced hunger is that no single policy works alone: social protection, productivity support, market management, and nutrition services must operate together.
Finally, as the global community celebrates World Food Day, on October 16, it is important to remember that food security is both a moral obligation and a practical project. Nigeria can and should do better, but doing so requires political will, predictable financing and an honest commitment to protecting the most vulnerable. The recipe is clear: act now, act together, and put households’ access to food at the centre of every policy choice.
• Okeke, PhD, a lecturer, Department of Economics, Coal City University, Enugu, writes via [email protected]
