LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi has called for immediate action to address Nigeria’s worsening food crisis after reacting to a United Nations report showing that millions of people, particularly in the North, are facing severe hunger.
Reacting in a post shared on his X account on Saturday, Obi said the latest findings by the World Food Programme (WFP) revealed a humanitarian situation that should never have reached its current level in a country with vast agricultural potential.
According to the report, more than 17 million people in nine northern states are experiencing crisis-level hunger, while over 35 million Nigerians could face food shortages during the current lean season.
It also noted that more than 10,000 people in Borno State have entered conditions classified as “catastrophic” hunger.
Describing the development as deeply troubling, Obi said the crisis reflected failures in leadership rather than a lack of natural resources.
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“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 wrote.
The former governor argued that Nigeria’s position among countries battling widespread hunger is difficult to justify, especially given the large expanse of fertile land available across the northern region.
Obi blamed the situation on persistent insecurity, saying many farmers have been forced to abandon their farmlands because of bandit attacks and insurgency, leaving once-thriving farming communities displaced.
“This food crisis stems from two critical structural failures: insecurity and farmers’ inability to access their lands. Banditry and insurgency have turned agrarian communities into displacement zones. Until we secure our agricultural areas, we cannot secure our future,” he added.
He also urged the Federal Government and state governments to move beyond public statements by investing in the protection of farming communities, improving support for smallholder farmers and working closely with the World Food Programme to close funding gaps before the humanitarian situation deteriorates further.
Obi stressed that tackling insecurity and rebuilding agricultural production remain essential to preventing a deeper food emergency, particularly among vulnerable groups such as children.
