The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mohammed Fall, has issued a dire warning, revealing that approximately 5.9 million Nigerian children are currently experiencing a severe food and nutrition crisis, marking the highest figure globally.
Fall disclosed this alarming statistic during the launch of the 2024 Lean Season Food Security and Nutrition Crisis multi-sector plan.
This initiative aims to coordinate with existing government efforts in areas such as food assistance, healthcare, and water and sanitation, primarily targeting states in the North-East region, including Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe.
Of particular concern is the staggering number of 700,000 children under the age of 5 reported to be malnourished in the aforementioned states.
Furthermore, Fall highlighted that a staggering 4.8 million Nigerians are at risk of food crisis during this year’s lean season, spanning from June to September.
This situation is exacerbated by factors such as flooding, inflation, and the conflict in Ukraine, which has impeded access to food supplies.
To avert a catastrophic escalation of the crisis, Fall emphasized the urgent need for funding, estimating that approximately N306 million is required to implement this year’s project effectively.
This funding would support interventions aimed at preventing the food and nutrition crisis from spiraling out of control in the region.
This alarming revelation follows Nigeria’s declaration of a national emergency on food security on July 13, 2023.
The declaration came amidst record inflation, rendering basic food items unaffordable for many Nigerians, underscoring the severity and urgency of the situation.
