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Samuel Ogidan
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Federal Government of failing to address Nigeria’s worsening food insecurity, describing reports that more than 17 million Nigerians are facing acute hunger as evidence of a deepening humanitarian crisis.
The party said the situation reflects the combined effects of insecurity, economic hardship and what it described as poor policy choices under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC cited a recent United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) assessment indicating that over 17 million people across nine conflict-affected northern states are experiencing severe food insecurity.
According to the opposition party, the report highlights the urgent need for decisive government action to address insecurity, revive agricultural production and improve access to affordable food.
The ADC argued that persistent attacks on farming communities, widespread displacement of residents and rising food prices have significantly worsened living conditions for millions of Nigerians.
The party maintained that the country’s growing hunger crisis is closely linked to governance failures, alleging that the Federal Government has not done enough to protect farmers, secure food-producing communities or cushion the effects of the rising cost of living.
“The findings of the World Food Programme reflect the daily reality confronting millions of Nigerians who struggle to afford basic meals,” the statement said.
The party further criticised what it described as the government’s response to the crisis, insisting that tackling food insecurity requires more than temporary relief measures.
According to the ADC, its policy direction places food security at the centre of national security and economic planning.
It said an ADC-led government would prioritise support for smallholder farmers through improved access to farm inputs, mechanisation, extension services and better market opportunities to boost food production and reduce inflation.
The party also pledged to rehabilitate the country’s abandoned dams to expand irrigation farming, promote all-year-round agricultural production and reduce dependence on seasonal rainfall.
In addition, the ADC said it would invest in warehouses, aggregation centres, cold-chain facilities and strategic grain reserves to minimise post-harvest losses, stabilise food prices and strengthen the nation’s food supply chain.
The opposition party maintained that these proposals form part of its existing policy agenda and not a reaction to current events, arguing that insecurity, unemployment and rising food prices are interconnected challenges requiring coordinated solutions.
The ADC urged the Federal Government to treat food security as a national emergency, warning that millions of Nigerians continue to face worsening hardship amid rising inflation and persistent insecurity.