Nigeria faces food security crisis despite high agricultural production

Nigeria is experiencing a significant disconnect between rising agricultural production and food accessibility. While the Federal Government reported that the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP) generated 2.54 million metric tonnes of produce valued at N2.31 trillion, food insecurity remains a critical issue.

In the 2026 Global Hunger Index, Nigeria ranked 117th out of 122 countries with a score of 34.3, indicating a deterioration in hunger and undernutrition levels since 2018. This trend persists despite substantial harvests of crops such as wheat, rice, maize, soybean, millet, and cassava.

Across West and Central Africa, cereal production for the 2025/2026 season rose to approximately 80.4 million tonnes, yet an estimated 52.9 million people in the region were projected to face crisis-level food insecurity during the June to August 2026 lean season. Nigeria accounts for roughly 36.3 million of those affected individuals.