Nigeria among world’s hungriest nations despite food emergency measures – Peter Obi

By Precious Mark

Peter Obi has raised concerns over Nigeria’s worsening hunger situation despite government interventions in the agricultural sector.

In a statement posted on his official X handle on Thursday, Obi cited global hunger data, saying: “Nigeria’s hunger index ranking was 103rd out of 123 countries surveyed in 2022/2023, and this figure had since worsened to 115th out of 123 countries surveyed in 2025/2026.”

He warned that the country’s food security situation has continued to deteriorate despite policy interventions by the Federal Government, including the declaration of a state of emergency on food security in July 2023 and the rollout of agricultural mechanisation programmes involving the acquisition of 2,000 tractors and 9,000 farming implements.

Obi said the worsening ranking reflects a broader failure to translate agricultural initiatives into improved food outcomes for citizens.

He stated that Nigeria is now classified among the world’s most food-insecure nations, with projections by the World Bank indicating that about 33 million Nigerians could face severe hunger.

“Despite Three Years of Tinubu’s Food Emergency, Nigeria hungriest ranking index declined to among the worst nations globally, Obi stated.

“Yet the outcome of this has been the opposite. Nigeria’s hunger index has worsened significantly,” he added.

Peter Obi also argued that Nigeria has no justification for its level of food insecurity given its vast uncultivated arable land, particularly in the northern region.

According to him, stronger transparency and more effective investment in agriculture are urgently needed to improve food production, strengthen food security, and create employment opportunities across the country.