A recent report by Save the Children has projected that approximately one in every six children, totaling 15 million, in Nigeria will face hunger starting from June 2024.
This projection indicates a 25% increase compared to 2023 figures, with conflicts, banditry, and soaring food prices being the primary contributing factors. This surge translates to an additional 3.5 million children compared to the previous year.
The report highlights that the situation is particularly severe in the Northern states of Borno, Yobe, Katsina, and Zamfara, where violence and banditry have escalated.
The Country Director for Save the Children, Nigeria, Duncan Harvey, emphasized that one-third of children in these northern states are uncertain about their next meal.
Harvey expressed concern, stating, “An already dire hunger situation in the country is gradually worsening as violence, insecurity, and rising prices combine to leave over 15 million children hungry in Nigeria.
Hunger is widespread, but the situation in the north, where violence is rampant, is particularly alarming. In Borno, Yobe, Katsina, and Zamfara, one in three children are uncertain about their next meal.”
Additionally, the report categorizes Nigeria at IPC scale 3, indicating a crisis level, with an estimated 490,000 children, primarily in Borno and Katsina states, facing catastrophic hunger levels this year.
The overall increase in the number of affected individuals, particularly children, is expected due to the high food inflation rate of 40% as of March 2024 and escalating violence and banditry, especially in the agricultural regions.
A recent analysis by SBM Intelligence revealed that farmers across the country paid an average of up to N100,000 to bandits for permission to farm, primarily in the northern regions.
The World Bank’s January Food Security update highlighted that seven states in Northern Nigeria, specifically in the North-east and North-western regions, will experience severe hunger in 2024.
Furthermore, the Cadre d’Harmonise estimated that the number of people facing hunger across the country in 2024 would increase to 32 million, up from the earlier projection of 26 million, reflecting the worsening food security situation in the country.
