Peter Obi, the National Democratic Congress presidential candidate for 2027, has raised alarm over a United Nations alert on deteriorating food shortages in Northern Nigeria. He called for the government to act fast to stop the situation from getting worse.
Obi, a former Anambra governor, shared his concerns on X on Saturday, noting that the crisis is particularly alarming since the north has always been Nigeria's food basket. He said policymakers must do better in rolling out programmes to tackle this growing humanitarian emergency.
The politician urged federal and state authorities to invest immediately in protecting agricultural zones and giving smallholder farmers the tools they need to succeed. He also pushed for governments to partner with the United Nations World Food Programme and other international agencies to close funding shortfalls before things spiral further.
According to Obi, the WFP's most recent findings show more than 17 million people across nine northern states are battling severe hunger. He noted that over 35 million Nigerians face the risk of food insecurity during the lean season.
He also pointed to reports showing more than 10,000 Borno residents have slipped into what aid groups describe as catastrophic hunger. "Insecurity, including banditry and insurgency, has kept many farmers from their fields and blocked agricultural growth," he said.
Obi pushed for stronger security in farming areas and more cash for rural development and farm output. He urged decision-makers to back policies that boost production, expand farmland, and grow agro-industry capacity.
Nigeria has the means and farm potential to sharply cut hunger and poverty if leaders take the right steps, according to him. He stressed that a Nigeria without mass hunger and poverty is within reach if leaders make citizens' welfare their top priority.
