Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate for 2023, expressed grave concerns on Wednesday regarding the inability of Nigerians to afford essential food items due to their income levels.
Obi lamented the ongoing hunger crisis affecting households across the nation, despite Nigeria’s vast arable lands and agricultural potential. His comments came in a post on X, coinciding with the 2024 World Food Day celebrations.
He stated, “Today marks World Food Day, a crucial global event that highlights the pressing issues of hunger and food insecurity, reminding us of our commitment to achieving food security and eradicating hunger.”
This observance holds particular significance for Nigeria, where food prices are escalating daily, making basic necessities increasingly unaffordable for many citizens.
“Severe hunger has regrettably become a reality for numerous households in Nigeria, a country once known as the giant of Africa, blessed with the continent’s most fertile lands,” he noted.
Obi reflected on the troubling reality that many Nigerian households now spend the majority of their income solely on food, leaving little to nothing for savings or other essential needs.
“It is heartbreaking to realize that most families can no longer afford sufficient sustenance,” he remarked, pointing out that soaring food prices and rampant inflation contribute to a deepening food crisis and a national emergency of hunger.
Referencing a recent Food Security Update Report from the World Bank, Obi compared Nigeria’s food security challenges to those faced by war-torn nations like Yemen, highlighting a drastic increase in the number of people experiencing acute food shortages.
According to the Global Hunger Index, Nigeria ranks among the 20 hungriest nations globally. Reports from August 2024 indicated that over 31.8 million Nigerians suffer from severe food shortages, exacerbated by security issues and the removal of fuel subsidies. Alarmingly, 15.6 million children in Nigeria are also facing hunger.
The United Nations has warned that if the government fails to address food insecurity, approximately 82 million Nigerians—around 64% of the population—could face hunger by 2030.
Obi pointed out that domestic food inflation in Nigeria is among the highest in the world, with food prices surging by 37.5% year-on-year as of August 2024. He believes these statistics, while alarming, may only hint at the true extent of the food crisis and hunger in Nigeria.
“Shifting the country’s focus from consumption to production is essential for tackling food insecurity and alleviating the current crisis,” he asserted.
He emphasized that Nigeria’s greatest asset lies in its vast uncultivated lands in the North and its large population. “We must be deliberate in our agricultural investments,” he insisted.
Obi compared Niger State, which is twice the size of the Netherlands (excluding water), to the Netherlands, which exports over $100 billion in agricultural products annually. “If we prioritize agricultural investments while addressing insecurity that keeps farmers from their fields and embrace modern mechanized farming methods, we can combat hunger and achieve food security for our nation.”
