How well fed are Nigerians?

…Curious case of Nigeria copying smaller nations’ models

While Nigeria joined other countries to mark the World Food Day a few days ago, the status of the country on the list of well-fed nations is lamentable.

According to the 2026 Global Hunger Index, 22.2percent of Nigeria’s total population is undernourished.

The United Nations Humanitarian Country Team estimates that nearly 35 million Nigerians are at risk of acute hunger and severe food insecurity.

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Nigeria reports that Nigeria has the second-highest burden of stunted children globally, and that approximately 2 million children suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM).

Despite boasting of vast arable lands, hunger has continued to deal ruthlessly with many citizens. Nigeria has moved from a country that fed itself to one that imports most of its foods. Poverty has become endemic.

Farmers have fled their farmlands as herders’ attack continues unabated. In many parts of the country, particularly in the North, huge taxes are being imposed on farmers by non-state actors. Those who refuse to pay are not allowed to cultivate their land or harvest their crops.

Transportation of farm produce across the country has also been hampered as insecurity persists. Recently, Vice President Kashim Shettima said that Nigeria would learn from Ethiopia’s model in food production. A nation that cannot feed itself cannot boast of prosperity.

Shettima pointed to Ethiopia’s progress in wheat production, noting its transition from spending approximately $1billion annually on wheat imports to achieving self-sufficiency and generating surplus for export to neighbouring countries, including Djibouti and Kenya.

Ethiopia has also made significant progress in rice production, reducing its dependence on imports. However, Nigeria plans to draw on these experiences to modernise its agricultural sector through improved seed varieties, mechanised farming, climate-smart practices and more efficient production systems.

Shettima emphasized that strengthening domestic food production is essential to national sovereignty, as heavy dependence on imported food can expose countries to external supply disruptions and price volatility.

During Shettima’s engagement at the Ethiopia–Nigeria Leadership Exchange, Shimelis Abdisa, Oromia Regional State president, outlined Ethiopia’s agricultural achievements, including the cultivation of over 200 crop varieties and growing exports of bananas, avocados and coffee.

He also highlighted the economic contribution of wheat production, which generates more than $3.1 billion annually, according to figures presented during the engagement – highlighting the growing interest in African-led solutions to food insecurity, with Nigeria seeking to translate Ethiopia’s experience into practical reforms that improve productivity, strengthen agricultural value chains, create jobs and reduce reliance on imported food.

Similarly, the revised (3rd) edition of the National Policy on Food and Nutrition (NPFN) provided guidance for nutrition action by all tiers of government, development partners, and all stakeholders involved within the food and nutrition value-chain.

The 10-year (2026 -2035) development plan defines a minimum package of nutrition services to be delivered to households to facilitate optimal nutrition practices across the life cycle and among all population groups.

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Economic burden of malnutrition

Nigeria has one of the highest rates of malnutrition globally, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the burden of stunting in West Africa and 8 percent of the global stunting burden. The numbers of malnourished children in Nigeria are the highest in Africa and the second highest in the world.

Without improving nutrition, Nigeria will become progressively poorer, undeveloped, and inhabited by millions of hungry, ill people with limited education. However, improved nutrition is necessary for Nigeria to achieve its economic goals as micronutrient deficiencies alone cost Nigeria over $1.5 billion annually.

Nutrition is a critical factor in the development of any nation because it influences the growth, productivity, health, and the overall wellbeing of the population. Furthermore, nutrition in the first one thousand days of a child from conception to age two has remained critical and there have been innovations specially targeted at nutrition in this period.

“We should think beyond just having enough food and ask a key question: Are Nigerians, especially our children, eating food that is safe, healthy, and sufficient to support their growth and development,” Iyabo Christianah Oladipo, professor of Food and Industrial Microbiology, Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH). Ogbomoso, told BusinessDaySunday.

Over the years, nutrition-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have continued to rise at an alarming rate. Just as climate-related shocks, including severe droughts and floods are seriously affecting food security and causing hunger.

On the back of this is the gender inequality that persists, with women hunger and malnutrition more frequently and more intensely than men. Nigeria’s under five mortality rate in 2021 was 102 deaths per 1,000 live births, 55 percent of which is due to malnutrition, which further shows the need to address malnutrition urgently.

According to a 2024 UNICEF data, about 11 million Nigerian children below five are at risk of severe child food poverty, because they lacked access to a sufficiently diverse diet to fulfill their nutritional needs.

Similarly, about 32 percent of children in Nigeria live in stunted mode – indicating that one in three children is affected. “These numbers are extremely worrying because childhood nutrition plays a crucial role in health, education, productivity, and national development,” Oladipo said.

Oluwasegun Adekunle Adeoye, lecturer and food scientist, LAUTECH, said there should be a clear understanding that the business of killing hunger and malnutrition should be all embracing. According to him, all stakeholders must collaborate to achieve the needed transformation required to solve Nigeria’s nutrition crisis.

Sola Bunmi Adeniyi, founder, GoGreen Impact Africa Initiative, said Nigeria’s future depends on ensuring that every child has access to the nutritious food needed to survive, learn, and thrive.

According to him, Nigeria must strengthen local food production, support smallholder farmers, promote climate-smart agriculture, and make diverse, nutritious foods affordable and accessible to every family.

“We must also expand nutrition education, maternal and child healthcare, school feeding programmes, and targeted assistance for vulnerable households,” Adeniyi said, reiterating that Nigeria must harness her agricultural potential to meet the nutritional needs of its children and build a food system that delivers health, dignity, and opportunity.

Nutrition-related conditions, including heart disease and stroke are top causes of deaths in adults, with about 36 percent of adults 30 to 79 years old said to have hypertension.

Reducing malnutrition could increase GDP per capita by 11 percent, and every $1 spent on nutrition in Nigeria could yield up to $27 in economic gains and productivity. While investing in reducing malnutrition will also lower healthcare costs and free up funding that can be reallocated to other development matters.

What should Nigeria prioritise?

Nigeria needs a targeted strategy that incorporates all components of food security. Food security includes maintaining the availability of food to people; good nutrition provides the necessary nutrients for healthy growth.

Also, food safety ensures that what Nigerians eat does not expose them to avoidable harm. “These three priorities need to be coordinated. Increasing food production alone will not solve childhood malnutrition if nutritious foods remain unaffordable, diets lack diversity, or food is unsafe,” Oladipo said.

According to her, a well-nourished child is more than simply a healthier child, rather he or she holds the key to Nigeria’s future as a future entrepreneur, educator and contributor to national progress. “If Nigeria wants a healthier and more productive future, investing in the nutrition of its children must be a national priority.”