On Wednesday, the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) unveiled a Country Strategic Plan (CSP) for Nigeria worth $2.5 billion.

The CSP aims to address hunger and malnutrition in some parts of the North-East, North-West and other selected states. Borno, Yobe, Taraba and Adamawa in North East, Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsina in the North West, and Cross River are the states to benefit.

The WFP country director, David Stevenson, disclosed this at a joint press conference with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

Mr Stevenson explained that CSP defines WFP’s entire portfolio of assistance within the country for five years, effective 2023 to 2027.

“The country strategy is valued at $2.56 billion, and it’s more than $500 million a year assistance for Nigeria to achieve food security and improve nutrition by 2030,” he disclosed.

He said the CSP was designed to support Nigeria in achieving food security and improved nutrition by 2030, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2) and that the CSP would contribute to progress in good health and well-being, inclusive education, gender equality and climate action as well as foster a reinforced partnership in strengthening the national humanitarian and development response in accordance with the SDGs.

“My job as country representative in Nigeria is effectively running a big business, a business that is valued at about $1 million every day of assistance,” stated the WFP official. “And we are signing contracts with Nigerian companies, with Nigerian civil societies every day, to get the food assistance to where it’s needed.”

He further mentioned that the WFP operates a food system that sees conflict as the enemy of progress, adding that WFP was making significant investments in the Nigerian economy by buying and investing locally, “all of this is aligned with Nigeria’s national development plan, with the Nigeria agenda 2050.”

(NAN)