Nigeria Faces Food Shortages and Growing Hunger Crisis

Agriculture experts warn that Nigeria could experience serious shortages of rice, tomatoes and other staples within three months as production falls and transport costs surge. Rice output is projected to drop six percent to about 8.3 million tonnes, with cultivated area shrinking seven percent to 4.2 million hectares. Higher freight rates—up to N70,000 per tonne from Kano to Lagos—along with insecurity that has displaced thousands of northern farmers are tightening supply chains and driving price spikes for onions, peppers and other vegetables.

A United Nations‑funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network report projects that between 16.0 million and 16.9 million Nigerians will face acute hunger by January 2027, placing the country fourth worldwide for the number of people in need of food assistance. Ongoing conflict in northern regions hampers farming, restricts market access and keeps staple prices elevated even after the main harvest, heightening the risk of an emergency level of food insecurity.