Nigeria faced the highest increase in acute food insecurity globally in 2024, with 6.9 million more people affected, bringing the total to about 31.8 million, according to the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises.
The report, released by the Global Network Against Food Crises in partnership with the Food Security Information Network and UNICEF, showed Nigeria leading the list of countries with the most significant number of people suffering from severe hunger.
This sharp rise in food insecurity is linked to ongoing armed conflicts, rising inflation, and more exhaustive data coverage.
These factors have pushed millions more Nigerians into severe food shortages, especially in regions affected by violence and economic hardship.
The report focused on West Africa and the Sahel, where Nigeria’s food crisis worsened compared to previous years.
Other countries with high numbers of people facing food insecurity include Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, each with 25.6 million affected, Bangladesh with 23.6 million, and Ethiopia with 22 million. These nations also experienced severe challenges from conflict, displacement, and economic pressures.
The increase in hunger comes shortly after the International Monetary Fund and World Bank reports state persistent poverty and food insecurity under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The World Bank warned that without significant changes, more Nigerians will fall into extreme poverty by 2027.
The situation requires urgent attention from the government and international partners to address the root causes of hunger and provide relief to millions of people suffering across the country.
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