&w=64&q=75)
A recent report reveals that approximately 133.1 million Nigerians could experience a severe hunger crisis by 2025 due to economic hardship, climate change, and persistent violence, particularly in the country's northeast.
The report, released on Thursday, November 7, is part of the Cadre Harmonisé food and nutrition insecurity analysis compiled by the Nigerian government in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World Food Programme, and UNICEF.
The projected hunger crisis is expected to worsen during Nigeria's lean season, spanning June to August.
FAO’s statement highlighted the urgency, noting, “It is an alarming seven million people increase from the same period last year, driven by economic hardship, record-high inflation, impacts of climate change, and ongoing violence in northeastern states.”
READ ALSO: Over 733 million people faced biting hunger last year - Africa most affected
The report anticipates that those at "emergency" levels of food insecurity (Phase 4) will surge by nearly 80%, climbing from one million individuals in 2024 to 1.8 million by 2025.
Although no areas are currently classified at "catastrophe" levels (Phase 5), the population in the northeast, particularly in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states, and some northwest states like Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara, remains highly vulnerable.
With about 5.4 million people, including nearly 800,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women at risk of malnutrition, the report underscores the critical need for targeted interventions.