Written by The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has raised a serious alarm over Nigeria’s food security situation, warning that up to 35.7 million Nigerians could be experiencing acute food insecurity by August 2026.
The FAO Representative in Nigeria and to ECOWAS, Dr. Hussein Gadain, made the disclosure at the 2026 Vanguard Economic Discourse held in Lagos. The event was themed “Food Security and Socio-Economic Stability: Options for Nigeria’s Agriculture Sector Rebound.”
Dr. Gadain stated that between 27.2 and 35.7 million people are currently experiencing acute food insecurity, with the crisis most severe in the North East, North West, and North Central zones of the country. He attributed the situation to a combination of insurgency, banditry, farmer-herder conflicts, and competition over land and water resources.
Beyond the security challenges, Dr. Gadain pointed to structural weaknesses in Nigeria’s agricultural economy. He identified the country’s N2.5 trillion agricultural trade deficit as a critical concern, noting that Nigeria continues to export raw farm produce rather than processed goods, limiting the value and revenue the sector can generate.
He called for accelerated investments in agro-processing infrastructure and stronger links between farmers, processors, and export markets. According to the FAO chief, the country’s agricultural sector remains structurally strong but commercially weak due to limited investment in storage, processing, and export-ready value chains.
Also speaking at the forum, the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, represented by Prof. Eustace Iyayi, presented a 10-point Nigerian Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy. The strategy targets a $74 billion livestock economy by 2035, focusing on improved animal health, feed systems, genetics, financing, and market infrastructure.
The minister stressed that food security must be treated as a pillar of national security, not merely an agricultural priority, and called on the private sector to step up investment in the sector.
Why This Matters
With agriculture contributing between 24 and 26 percent of Nigeria’s GDP and employing close to 40 percent of the workforce, the food security gap poses a serious risk to economic stability and livelihoods. Nigeria has approximately 70 million hectares of agricultural land, enough to feed the nation and more, but the country has yet to fully harness this potential. All these according to Agriculture Focus
For farmers, agribusiness operators, and policymakers, these figures are a call to action. The path forward, according to experts, runs through better infrastructure, stronger value chains, investment in rural security, and a shift from raw commodity exports to processed agricultural products.
