The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has attributed inflation, insecurity, and climate change as the main reasons for food insecurity and hunger affecting approximately 26.5 million Nigerians in 2024, Trait Newspaper online reports.
Dr. Tayo Aduloju, CEO of NESG, highlighted this issue on Friday during a press briefing at the Policy Innovation Centre (PIC). He emphasized that the significant rise in food prices, which reached 40.66 percent in May 2024 according to the National Bureau of Statistics, is a major factor contributing to the multidimensional poverty in Nigeria.
“In 2024, around 26.5 million Nigerians are projected to be food insecure, with about 4.8 million at risk in the conflict-affected northeast,” Aduloju stated. He noted that conflict, climate change, inflation, and increasing food prices are pathways contributing to the high rates of food insecurity and malnutrition.
This issue is further underscored by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a United Nations agency, which recently warned that by 2030, approximately 80 to 82 million Nigerians might face severe hunger due to ongoing food insecurity.
A report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed a worsening misery index among Nigerians, as staple food prices surged by over 130 percent in May. The report indicated that essential foods like rice, beans, garlic, yams, and others increased in price by at least 130 percent.
