No fewer than 34.7 million Nigerians across 27 states and the Federal Capital Territory may face severe food and nutrition insecurity between June and August 2026, according to a Cadre Harmonisé (CH) report released on October 31, 2025 in Abuja. The figure underscores the scale of the challenge confronting the nation's food systems. Speaking at a quarterly citizens' engagement session organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, reaffirmed the government's commitment to achieving food security as central to economic stability and national independence. He described agriculture as a strategic pillar of President Bola Tinubu's economic reform agenda.
Idris stated that ongoing reforms are yielding results, citing improved government revenue, renewed investor confidence, and stronger international partnerships. He highlighted investments in infrastructure, security for farming communities, and human capital development, including the student loan scheme and social investment programmes. "Food security is national security; a nation that feeds itself strengthens its independence, stabilises prices, creates jobs and reduces poverty," Idris said. He stressed that governance must be open and responsive, with citizens involved in policy processes. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, noted intensified efforts in fertiliser distribution, mechanisation, irrigation, and improved seed access. The National Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, launched by President Tinubu across six geopolitical zones, is part of these efforts.
A minister can deliver a polished speech on food security while 34.7 million people edge toward hunger — and nothing changes. The gap between rhetoric and reality remains the true measure of this administration's agricultural policy.
