Following a fresh United Nations report showing that over 17 million people across nine states in Northern Nigeria are facing hunger crisis at peak levels, the Nigeria Democratic Congress 2027 presidential candidate and former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has raised alarm over what he described as an avoidable food crisis plaguing the region.
Obi, in a post on his X Twitter on Saturday, said the situation, identified by the World Food Programme as the worst in nearly a decade, was a consequence of what he called poor and irresponsible administration, considering that the North remains the country’s food basket.
He stated that over 10,000 people in Borno State had already fallen into what relief organisations refer to as “catastrophic” famine situations, and that over 35 million Nigerians nationwide ran the risk of becoming hungry during the current lean season.
“I am deeply troubled by the latest report from the UN’s World Food Programme, indicating that northern Nigeria is experiencing its most severe hunger crisis in nearly a decade. Over 17 million people in nine northern states face crisis-level hunger, with more than 35 million Nigerians nationwide at risk during this challenging season.
“The fact that over 10,000 residents of Borno State have entered ‘catastrophic’ hunger conditions represents not only immense human suffering but also a profound national failure,” Obi said, noting that Nigeria’s ranking among the world’s hungriest nations was inexcusable given its fertile, largely uncultivated land in the North.
Backstory…
According to the UN report, more than 17 million people across nine northern states are projected to face crisis-level or worse food insecurity during the current lean season.
The situation has been attributed to persistent insurgency, bandit attacks, flooding, high inflation and soaring food prices, all of which have disrupted farming activities and reduced household purchasing power.
Humanitarian agencies have warned that without sustained intervention, millions of vulnerable families, particularly women and children, could face severe malnutrition and heightened risks of displacement.
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Insurgency as a contributory factor
For over a decade, insurgency in the North-East and widespread banditry in the North-West and parts of the North-Central have forced millions of people from their homes, disrupted farming activities and cut off access to farmlands.
Recurrent floods and prolonged dry spells have further reduced agricultural output, while rising inflation and the removal of fuel subsidies have pushed food and transportation costs beyond the reach of many households.
This has significantly contributed to the worsening levels of hunger crisis across the region.
