Nigeria’s food security crisis is taking a turn for the worse, with over one million more people experiencing severe food insecurity in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to the World Bank’s Food Security Update Report.
The report highlights that countries like Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Yemen have seen a significant rise in the number of people facing acute food shortages.
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“Conversely, some countries saw improvements. Nations such as Afghanistan, Guatemala, and Kenya reported declines in food insecurity, with more than one million fewer people facing acute food crises, although these countries remained in significant food crisis situations,” the report reads.
However, 18 countries, including Nigeria, experienced worsening situations due to intensified conflict and climate-related shocks, such as droughts.
Nigeria’s growing crisis is attributed to climate-induced issues and socio-political instability in various regions.
The report notes that “In Nigeria, an estimated 1.6 million hectares of land have been inundated, including 342,650 hectares of cropland, affecting 685,770 vulnerable individuals.”
Additionally, flooding has affected several countries, including Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
The World Bank is calling for urgent intervention to address the immediate food needs of affected populations while also focusing on long-term solutions to improve resilience against climate shocks.
