The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has expressed concern over what he described as an avoidable food crisis in northern Nigeria following a fresh United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) report indicating that more than 17 million people across nine northern states are facing crisis-level hunger.
Peter Obi has called for urgent action to address worsening food insecurity in northern Nigeria, warning that the country is facing its most severe hunger crisis in nearly a decade despite possessing vast agricultural potential.
Reacting to the latest WFP assessment, Obi described the situation as a “profound national failure” and urged government at all levels to prioritise food production, security and support for farmers.
According to the United Nations World Food Programme, more than 17 million people in nine conflict-affected northern states are currently experiencing crisis-level food insecurity, while over 35 million Nigerians nationwide are at risk of hunger during the ongoing lean season.
The report also noted that Borno State remains the worst affected, with thousands of residents already experiencing what humanitarian agencies classify as catastrophic hunger. The WFP attributed the worsening crisis to persistent insecurity, mass displacement, reduced farming activities and funding shortages affecting humanitarian operations.
In a statement shared on his social media platforms, Obi said it was troubling that northern Nigeria—long regarded as the country’s food-producing region—was now battling such severe levels of hunger.
He argued that the crisis reflects deeper structural problems, particularly insecurity preventing farmers from accessing their farmlands and inadequate policy responses to food production challenges.
Obi urged authorities to invest more in agriculture, improve rural security and implement policies that would enable farming communities to return safely to cultivation.
The World Food Programme has warned that it urgently requires additional funding to sustain food and nutrition assistance across northeastern Nigeria.
The agency said millions of vulnerable people could lose access to humanitarian support if resources are not mobilised quickly, raising concerns that the situation could deteriorate further in the coming months.
Obi maintained that Nigeria has the land, human resources and agricultural potential to feed itself, insisting that decisive leadership and improved security are essential to reversing the worsening food crisis. His comments have added to the growing national conversation on food security as humanitarian agencies continue to warn of rising hunger across parts of the country.