Nigeria’s hunger crisis deepens amid economic reforms, rising insecurity
The June 2025 edition of the Global Performance Index (GPI) Bulletin paints a grim picture of Nigeria’s hunger and poverty crisis, highlighting the severe impact of recent government austerity measures on the country’s most vulnerable populations.
According to Group Director of Advocates for Positive Development (APD), March Oyinki, Nigeria’s hunger index continues to worsen due to a confluence of harsh economic policies, infrastructure deficits, inflation, and insecurity.
The Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2024 ranked Nigeria 110th out of 127 countries, with a “serious” hunger level score of 28.8, revealing that 18 percent cent of the population is undernourished and 10.7 per cent of children die before the age of five.
Despite being Africa’s most populous nation with over 223.8 million people, millions of Nigerians face daily hunger, with malnutrition claiming lives, especially among children, the elderly, and the infirm.
The report links the deepening hunger crisis to government-imposed austerity measures introduced after the new administration took office on May 29, 2023.
“Since May 2023, families who were once middle class now struggle to afford one square meal,” Oyinki noted.
“Inflation has made basic food a luxury, with some families spending between ₦600,000 to ₦760,000 monthly to maintain just two basic meals a day.”
The situation has been worsened by insecurity in the north and central regions, the country’s agricultural heartland, leading to significantly reduced food production.
In addition, a federal ban on the importation of key food items like rice, beans, wheat, and poultry has further constricted food supply during a time of heightened need.
Government initiatives such as the removal of fuel subsidies, floating of the Naira, and import waivers have done little to alleviate the immediate food crisis.
Though the recent declaration of a state of emergency on food production and promises to expand mechanized farming are seen as steps in the right direction, experts warn these long-term measures fail to meet the urgent food needs of millions of Nigerians.
Oyinki and the APD are urging the federal government to introduce short-term solutions, particularly the temporary lifting of import bans on essential food items to bridge the current food scarcity gap.
Meanwhile, the federal government has begun infrastructure projects such as the Lagos-Calabar coastal road and the Badagry Sea Port, which aim to stimulate commercial activity and long-term economic development.
However, critics say these efforts must be matched with immediate relief strategies to curb the escalating hunger crisis that now defines daily life for much of the Nigerian population.
As Nigeria battles one of its worst hunger crises in recent history, calls are growing for a balanced policy approach one that addresses both long-term growth and the immediate needs of a population increasingly pushed to the brink.