World Food Day: Hunger crisis deepens as Lions Club feed 1,000 vulnerable Nigerians

For some struggling Nigerian families, putting food on the table is a daily battle. For others, a donation of rice, beans and garri could mean relief from the anxiety of how to feed their households for the next few days.

That reality came into sharp focus at Okobaba, Ebute-Metta, Lagos, where Lions International, Multiple District 404, Nigeria, marked the 2026 World Food Day with a food distribution outreach targeting about 1,000 vulnerable people across Lagos metropolis.

The intervention, which included the distribution of food packs and the provision of meals for pupils at a primary school, brought temporary relief to beneficiaries while drawing attention to the wider challenge of food insecurity and the urgent need for sustainable solutions.

For Mariam Kudu, a beneficiary, the donation was expected to sustain her family for about three days. Her father works as a commercial motorcycle operator, a job that underscores the precarious circumstances confronting households dependent on daily earnings.

Another beneficiary, Bala Yunusa, said seven people lived in his household, with his mother bearing the responsibility of catering for the family.

Beyond the immediate food assistance, he appealed for help in securing employment, saying a stable source of income would improve his family’s living conditions.

Joy Williams, another beneficiary, called for empowerment opportunities for people seeking to establish or sustain small businesses, particularly those interested in trading at Lagos Island market.

The outreach, held to commemorate World Food Day, with the theme “Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow,” also provided a platform for renewed calls for effective food security policies, stronger partnerships and practical interventions to make nutritious food accessible to more Nigerians.

World Food Day is celebrated annually on October 16 as a global platform to spotlight collective actions and progress in building sustainable food systems.

The United Nations projected that 34.8 million Nigerians would face acute food insecurity between June and August 2026, with about 15,000 people in Borno State at risk of catastrophic hunger.

Addressing journalists before commencing the distribution, Multiple District Council Chairperson of Lions International, Adekunle Adedipe, said the outreach was in line with one of its mantras to feed the hungry.

Adedipe argued that the world produces enough food to feed itself, but many people go hungry due to inequitable distribution and challenges in the food value chain.

Adedipe said, “One of our core courses is feeding the hungry, as we believe that no one should go to bed without a meal.

“We must bridge the gap between abundance and scarcity. When we guarantee food security, we tackle hunger.”

He charged leaders to innovate to guarantee food for an increasing population.

“People sell their conscience and vote for those they know won’t do well just because of hunger,” Adedipe said

The chairperson of the World Food Day event, Lamidi Tajudeen, said the outreach was aimed at alleviating the burden on suffering families.

“We are contributing to food security. By putting food on the tables of families, we are nourishing them and giving hope to families.

“With sustained intervention and more people making efforts to guarantee food security, we can build a community devoid of hunger,” Lamidi said.

A past council chairperson of the organisation, Kola Oyekanmi, urged the Federal Government to strengthen the implementation of existing food security policies, arguing that the country needed to translate policy commitments into measurable improvements in people’s lives.

According to him, Nigeria has sufficient policies to address food insecurity but implementation remains critical to achieving the desired results.

He said the organisation’s outreach was designed to reach about 1,000 beneficiaries across Lagos metropolis, offering immediate assistance to households struggling to meet their basic food needs.

Similarly, Mrs Adetope Tychus, board appointee to the International Board of Directors of Lions Clubs International, called for stronger partnerships among governments, humanitarian organisations and development agencies to tackle hunger and malnutrition.

She urged Nigeria to participate in hunger-alleviation initiatives involving Lions International and the World Food Programme, stressing the importance of collaborative approaches to addressing the problem.

Mr Adelaja Adeleye, Immediate Past District Governor of Lions Clubs International, District 404B3, Nigeria, said the food packs contained rice, garri, beans and other essential items.

He explained that the organisation conducted community needs assessments before determining its interventions, adding that assistance should be informed by the actual needs of the people.

Adeleye said vulnerable residents deserved opportunities and support rather than being defined by their circumstances.

He also called on Lions clubs to complement emergency humanitarian interventions with sustainable community programmes capable of addressing the underlying causes of hardship.

The guest speaker, Mr Dapo Olakulehin, a retired General Manager of the Lagos State Coconut Development Authority, identified weaknesses in the food supply chain as another major factor contributing to food insecurity.

He said the problem extended beyond agricultural production to include transportation, storage, packaging and distribution, which could increase food costs and prevent available produce from reaching consumers efficiently.

Olakulehin urged young Nigerians to deploy their skills and technology to address these challenges, particularly in logistics, food preservation, storage and access to market information.

He said innovation across the food supply chain could help reduce avoidable losses, improve distribution and make food more accessible to consumers.

Also speaking during the distribution of food packs, the President of Eko Centennial Lions Club, Femi Ilariogun,  appealed to affluent Nigerians, corporate organisations and other well-meaning citizens to deploy their resources towards humanitarian causes, stressing that those who have the means have a responsibility to extend a helping hand to people struggling to meet their basic needs.

“Kindness is free, let’s give it; it is only when we give that we get more. Giving is living. If God has raised our standards of living, let’s raise the standards of our giving,” he said.

Ilariogun said humanitarian service is not measured by the size of a person’s bank account, but by the willingness to make a difference in the life of another person.

He therefore urged wealthy Nigerians to identify with Lions Club International and support its humanitarian initiatives, noting that the organisation provides a platform for individuals to channel their resources, time and compassion towards communities and people in need.

“There are so many needy people seeking our help; we should rise up to help. Ours is a commitment to humanitarian services in our communities. We are passionate about the causes of the less privileged and the commoners in our communities,” he said.