No fewer than 33.5 million Nigerians, including internally displaced persons (IDPs) across 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), are projected to face acute food and nutrition insecurity between June and August 2027, raising concerns over the country’s worsening food security situation.
The projection represents a significant increase from the 26.8 million people currently facing food and nutrition crises across the same number of states and the FCT between October and December 2026.
The figures were contained in the latest Cadre Harmonisé (CH) analysis presented at a results presentation and release workshop in Abuja on Thursday.
The report, jointly produced by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), participating state governments and development partners, warned that food insecurity could worsen in the coming months without timely interventions.
It identified insecurity, displacement, rising food and fuel prices, climate shocks and declining household purchasing power as major factors driving the crisis.
According to the report, declining household food stocks, high market prices and disruptions to livelihoods are expected to intensify pressure on food consumption during the June-August 2027 lean season.
It warned that urgent food assistance, targeted cash transfers and livelihood support would be necessary to prevent further deterioration in the situation.
The report also noted that persistent insecurity had disrupted agricultural activities, displaced farming communities and increased the vulnerability of affected households.
It added that high fuel prices had raised the cost of food production and distribution, while climate-related shocks continued to undermine crop yields, agricultural productivity and overall food availability.
High food inflation was also identified as a major obstacle, limiting the ability of vulnerable households to purchase adequate and nutritious food.
Speaking at the presentation, the FAO Representative in Nigeria and to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Dr Hussein Gadain, said the Cadre Harmonisé was a government-led assessment process in which development partners provided technical and institutional support.
Gadain, who was represented by the Senior Programme Officer in the Office of Emergency and Resilience, Mr Jimmy Owani, said government ownership of the process was essential to its credibility, relevance and long-term sustainability.
He noted that Nigeria, as Africa’s most populous country and one of the continent’s largest agricultural economies, had significant potential to achieve food and nutrition security and transform its agrifood sector.
However, he said the country’s agricultural system continued to face multiple challenges, including insecurity, climate-related shocks, economic pressures, environmental degradation and population displacement.
“At the same time, Nigeria’s agrifood systems continue to operate in a complex environment shaped by insecurity, climate-related shocks, economic pressures, environmental degradation and population displacement,” he said.
Gadain said the latest analysis provided nationally generated evidence that would enable the government and its development partners to anticipate emerging threats, protect vulnerable livelihoods and direct resources to communities with the greatest needs.
The report stressed the importance of early intervention and coordinated responses to prevent the projected increase in food insecurity from translating into more severe humanitarian conditions.
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