The Cadre Harmonisé report on food and nutrition insecurity has projected that 133.1 million Nigerians will face a global hunger crisis in 2025.
This information was shared by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which disclosed that the report was prepared by the Nigerian government with support from partners like the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
The report warns of deteriorating food security in Nigeria, with 133.1 million people expected to experience high levels of food insecurity during the next lean season (June-August). This marks a seven million increase from the previous year, driven by factors such as economic hardship, high inflation, climate change, and persistent violence in northeastern states.
The report further highlights that emergency levels (Phase 4) of food insecurity are expected to rise, with an estimated increase from 1 million people in 2024 to 1.8 million people in 2025. While no populations are predicted to reach catastrophe levels (Phase 5), the number of those facing emergency levels will rise by 80 percent. In addition, around 5.4 million children and nearly 800,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are at risk of acute malnutrition in states like Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara. Alarmingly, 1.8 million children could experience severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and will need urgent nutrition treatment.
The report attributes the food insecurity crisis to multiple factors, including economic hardship, which saw food inflation reach 40.9% in June 2024, and a broader inflation rate of 34.2%.
Dr. Temitope Fashedemi, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, emphasized the importance of the Cadre Harmonisé in planning food and nutrition security interventions. The results of the analysis are recommended for use by ministries, agencies, humanitarian partners, and stakeholders.
FAO Representative ad interim in Nigeria, Dominique Koffy Kouacou, reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to supporting Nigeria. “Working closely with our partners, FAO is dedicated to implementing durable solutions that tackle the underlying causes of food insecurity and malnutrition,” he said.
WFP’s Country Director, David Stevenson, stressed the urgent need to address the hunger crisis in northeastern Nigeria. He noted, “Restoring peace in the northeast is critical for us to build pathways to production and achieve the northeast’s potential as the food basket of the country.”
UNICEF’s Country Representative, Ms. Cristian Munduate, emphasized the dire impact on children, stating: “Children are at the center of the food insecurity crisis and face irreversible consequences, both physical and cognitive, and potentially even death.”
