The Federal Government has raised concerns that about 161 million Nigerians are currently food insecure, even as it intensifies efforts to avert an impending food and nutrition crisis.

This was disclosed by Alhaji Nuhu Kilishi, Director of the Nutrition and Food Safety Department at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, on Friday in Abuja.

Kilishi made the statement during a stakeholders’ consultative meeting on the development of a Food and Nutrition Security Crisis Preparedness Plan (FNSCPP).

According to Kilishi, food insecurity in Nigeria has risen sharply in recent years, with moderate and severe levels increasing from 35% in 2014 to approximately 74%.

“Only 20% of Nigerians are currently food secure, meaning they are certain of their next meal,” he said, attributing the worsening trend to insecurity and economic hardship.

“He explained that banditry, kidnapping, and general insecurity have significantly reduced farm sizes and driven many away from agricultural production.

“Inflation and rising prices of food inputs and commodities have also made it difficult for households to afford healthy diets,” he added.

To tackle the crisis, the government is implementing a new plan as a spin-off of the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project, a state-led, World Bank-funded initiative aimed at reducing malnutrition by expanding access to quality, cost-effective nutrition services for vulnerable populations.

Describing the food and nutrition situation in Nigeria as dire, particularly in crisis-affected areas, Kilishi said the government had developed targeted strategies to tackle the challenge.

“One of these strategies is the distribution of seeds and inputs to support homestead gardening across all 774 Local Government Areas,” he said.

According to him, the plan will be implemented in 21 states with support from the World Bank, while the remaining 15 states will receive funding from federal resources.

Also speaking, Dr Ritgak Tilley-Gyado, a Senior Health Specialist at the World Bank, said the ANRiN project, which began in 2018, had entered its second phase.

She noted that the Bank initially committed 232 million dollars to the programme at Nigeria’s request, marking a shift from curative to preventive approaches in addressing malnutrition.

“With additional crisis response window financing made available, the aim now is to strengthen Nigeria’s systems to prevent future food and nutrition crises.”

Tilley-Gyado added that the new plan was forward-looking and focused on building long-term resilience rather than responding reactively to emergencies.

In her remarks, Mrs Ladidi Bako-Aiyegbusi, Director of Nutrition at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, cited findings from the 2021 National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey.

According to her, the survey showed that more than 40% of households cannot afford nutritious meals.

She said the lack of access had contributed to Nigeria’s high maternal and child mortality rates, as well as widespread clinical malnutrition.