In a scathing assessment of the country’s worsening food insecurity, former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi has warned that northern Nigeria is teetering on the edge of an avoidable catastrophe.
Reacting to a grim new United Nations (UN) report, Obi expressed deep concern over findings that show more than 17 million people across nine northern states are currently facing crisis-level hunger. Described by the World Food Programme (WFP) as the worst food shortage in nearly a decade, the situation highlights a stark irony for a region long celebrated as the country’s agricultural backbone.
The scope of the crisis extends far beyond regional borders, with projections indicating that upwards of 35 million Nigerians nationwide could plunge into severe hunger during the ongoing lean season. The crisis has reached an acute tipping point in Borno State, where aid agencies report that over 10,000 residents have already slipped into conditions classified as catastrophic.
For Obi, these numbers represent immense human suffering and a profound national failure, particularly given that Nigeria possesses vast tracts of fertile, uncultivated land that should easily shield its population from starvation.
This disruption has directly fueled the widening deficit reported by the latest Cadre Harmonisé analysis, which notes an increase of nearly two million food-insecure individuals since the last tracking period. Resolving a crisis of this magnitude requires a decisive shift away from political rhetoric toward transparent, upfront investments. Obi is urging both federal and state leaders to prioritize securing critical agricultural corridors so farmers can safely return to their fields.
He also called for immediate, practical support for smallholder farmers through accessible resources, alongside a tight, transparent collaboration with the World Food Programme to bridge critical funding gaps before dwindling humanitarian aid leads to further loss of life.
