In the latest Food Security Report published by the World Bank, seven states in Northern Nigeria have been projected to face a severe food crisis in 2024. According to the report, persistent insecurity, armed conflict and deteriorating livelihoods in Nigeria are factors that will contribute to this.

The northern states listed in the report are: Adamawa, Borno, Kaduna, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara.

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“It is projected that most areas in West and Central Africa will remain Minimally food insecure (IPC Phase 1) until May 2024, with some being categorized as Stressed (IPC Phase 2). Nigeria (far north of Adamawa, Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara states) will be at Crisis food security levels (IPC Phase 3), mostly because of persistent insecurity and armed conflict and deteriorating livelihoods,” the report stated.

The report also stated that inaccessible areas in some northern states have led to emergency food security levels. These areas, as mentioned in the report, are: Abadam, Bama, Guzamala and Marte.

Food insecurity is already ravaging three of the seven states projected to experience severe food crisis. According to the World Food Programme, conflict has left 4.4 million people food insecure in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

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Many factors, such as insecurity and inflation, contribute to the rising food insecurity in these states. The activities of bandits and terrorists are displacing people from their communities and hindering them from accessing their farmlands.

Aside from insecurity, Nigeria’s persistently increasing inflation rate is limiting the purchasing power of people, thereby making food unaffordable for many, especially internally displaced persons, in these areas.