ABUJA, Nigeria — Peter Obi has expressed deep concern over the United Nations warning of a worsening food crisis across northern Nigeria, urging the Federal Government to take immediate and coordinated action to avert what he described as a looming humanitarian disaster.
In a statement posted on his X account on Friday, the Nigerian Democratic Congress presidential candidate said it was disturbing that northern Nigeria—historically regarded as the country’s food-producing belt—had become the epicentre of widespread hunger.
“The latest warning from the UN about the escalating food crisis in northern Nigeria should concern every Nigerian,” Obi said.
“The situation is particularly heartbreaking because northern Nigeria has always been the food basket of our nation. Today, insecurity and poor policy implementation have turned fertile farmlands into zones of fear and abandonment.”
Obi stressed that the crisis demanded urgent leadership rather than rhetoric, calling on both the Federal Government and state governments to make “transparent and upfront investments” in agriculture and food security.
He urged authorities to secure farming communities, reopen agricultural corridors, provide affordable financing and inputs to smallholder farmers, and work closely with the World Food Programme and other development partners to bridge funding gaps before the situation deteriorates further.
“Government at all levels must invest transparently in securing agricultural corridors, supporting smallholder farmers with accessible resources, and collaborating with humanitarian partners to prevent this crisis from spiralling out of control,” he stated.
Obi cited the WFP’s latest assessment, which showed that more than 17 million people across nine northern states are already facing crisis-level hunger, while over 35 million Nigerians could suffer acute food insecurity during the current lean season.
He also referenced reports indicating that more than 10,000 residents of Borno State have slipped into what humanitarian agencies classify as catastrophic hunger—the most severe phase of food insecurity.
According to Obi, persistent insecurity, including banditry and insurgency, continues to prevent thousands of farmers from cultivating their land, severely undermining food production and threatening national food security.
“We cannot win the battle against hunger while farmers are unable to safely access their farms. Food security begins with securing our rural communities,” he said.
The former Anambra governor further urged policymakers to embrace production-driven economic policies focused on expanding cultivated farmland, boosting agro-industrial output and improving rural infrastructure.
He maintained that Nigeria possesses the human and natural resources required to overcome hunger and poverty if leaders prioritise productive investments over consumption.
“A Nigeria free from widespread hunger and mass poverty is achievable. What is required is leadership that places the welfare, livelihoods and productivity of citizens at the centre of governance,” Obi added.
The UN warning comes amid growing concerns over rising food inflation, insecurity in farming communities, climate-related shocks and declining agricultural productivity, factors experts say continue to worsen food insecurity across several parts of the country.
