No fewer than 31.5 million people, including 83,846 internally displaced persons (IDPs), in 26 states and the FCT are expected to be in a food crisis between June and August 2024, according to Cadre Harmonisé.

Cadre Harmonisé (CH) is a food and nutrition insecurity analysis by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in collaboration with technical partners, including the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

According to the report, at least 24.7 million people, including 14,000 IDPs, in 26 states and the FCT will be in a food crisis between March and May 2024.

The report revealed that about 1.1 million people in Adamawa were expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August 2024, and about 2.1 million people in Borno were expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August.

“Also, 1.5 million people in Yobe are expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August this year.

“During the current period, food consumption was under stress in most of the states and in crisis in some LGAs in Adamawa, Borno, Katsina, Yobe, and Zamfara states.

“Deteriorated food consumption situations were also observed among populations in the inaccessible areas and the IDPs in Adamawa, Borno, Sokoto, and Zamfara States.

“During the projected period (June to August 2024), more households are expected to face a crisis level of food consumption in the states,” the report stated.

It said the deteriorating food consumption resulted from a significant spike in food prices due to high production and transportation costs caused by the removal of fuel subsidies and its resultant impact on inflation and consumer price index rates on both food and basic non-food items.

The report said that in all the states analysed, livelihood evolution was under stress or crisis.

“The consequences of insecurity have led to the loss of livelihoods in Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Katsina, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Yobe states.

“Poor macroeconomic conditions are restricting access to agricultural inputs in the country; the high cost of transport, the inflation rate, and the volatile dollar-naira exchange rate have negatively affected households’ income.

“In the projected period (June to August 2024), poor microeconomic conditions and conflicts are expected to drive limited access to livelihood opportunities.

“The nutrition situation in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe and the north-west states of Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara revealed the prevalence of malnutrition for under-5 children to be in crisis in the current situation,” the report said.

The report said key drivers of the crisis included conflict and insecurity, fuel scarcity, the naira devaluation currency crisis, rising inflation and Consumer Price Index (CPI) rates.

Spiking prices of food predated Mr Tinubu’s government. However, the president’s sudden fuel subsidy removal and floating of the naira, which experts lauded, have seen petrol prices jump from N145 to N630, shooting food prices up astronomically as the naira continues its freefall against the dollar, trading for over N1,600 against a dollar.

Last week, Nigerians protested skyrocketing food prices in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, chanting “Tinubu ole.” Similar protests were held in Osun, Niger, Kano and Lagos, the president’s home state, last week. 

In his remarks at the presentation, the country representative of the FAO to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Koffy Dominique, said the organisation would continue to support the CH process, both in terms of funding, technical support and capacity building across the country.

Also, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Temitope Fashedemi, said the federal government has put machinery in place to address challenges of food and nutrition insecurity.

He said the results of the cycle of CH analysis came when the government was leaving no stone unturned in reinvigorating the nation’s economy.

The permanent secretary said the removal of petroleum subsidies had further heightened pressure, resulting in food inflation and an increase in the consumer price index

He assured of the ministry’s commitment to upholding and utilising the outcomes and recommendations proffered at the workshop for the implementation of food and nutrition security interventions.