Nigeria Nears Food Emergency as Insecurity and Climate Change Disrupt Agriculture
Story by Okafor Joseph Afam | Published July 9, 2025
Nigeria is on the brink of a food emergency as escalating insecurity and worsening climate change continue to disrupt agricultural activities and food production across the country.
According to recent reports from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and independent food security monitors, armed conflict in the North, violent farmer-herder clashes in the Middle Belt, and rampant banditry in farming communities have forced thousands of farmers off their lands.
Meanwhile, erratic rainfall, prolonged dry spells, flooding, and rising temperatures—linked to climate change—are significantly affecting crop yields, especially in key food-producing states like Benue, Kaduna, Katsina, and Taraba.
Experts warn that the combination of armed violence and environmental shocks has led to declining harvests, rising food inflation, and growing malnutrition, particularly among children and low-income households.
“The food security situation in Nigeria is deteriorating fast. If urgent measures are not taken, we may face widespread hunger and famine in parts of the country,” warned Dr. Aisha Idris, a climate and food systems researcher at the University of Abuja.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) also flagged Nigeria as one of the world’s hunger hotspots in its latest global food insecurity outlook, projecting that over 26 million Nigerians could face acute food insecurity by the end of 2025.
Analysts have called on the government to ramp up agricultural support, invest in climate-resilient farming systems, and address the root causes of insecurity. Without urgent and coordinated action, Nigeria’s food crisis could escalate into a full-blown humanitarian emergency.
For media inquiries or permission to republish, contact Okafor Joseph Afam, Publisher, July 9, 2025.
