The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 general elections, Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to declare hunger a national emergency, warning that millions of Nigerians are battling food insecurity amid worsening poverty and insecurity.
Obi made the call in a statement issued on Friday, October 16, 2026, to commemorate this year’s World Food Day, arguing that the country’s hunger crisis had become too severe to be treated as an ordinary economic challenge.
The former Anambra State governor cited Nigeria’s position on the Global Hunger Index, stating that the country ranked 117th out of 125 countries, compared with 109th out of 125 in 2023, the year Tinubu assumed office.
He also cited estimates indicating that approximately 36 million Nigerians would face acute hunger in 2026, describing the situation as a growing national concern despite the country’s agricultural potential.
“Today, as the world marks World Food Day, Nigerians are confronting a painful reality: hunger, poverty, and insecurity continue to affect millions of families across the country,” Obi said.
He expressed concern that Nigeria continued to experience widespread hunger despite possessing extensive fertile and arable land capable of supporting large-scale agricultural production.
According to Obi, about 60 per cent of Nigeria’s arable land remains uncultivated, a situation he linked not only to the country’s food production challenges but also to security concerns in rural communities.
He warned that abandoned agricultural areas and forests could provide hiding places for terrorist organisations and other non-state actors, further complicating efforts to restore peace and food production in affected regions.
“Nigeria is now one of the hungriest countries in the world, ranking 117th out of 125, down from 109th out of 125 in 2023, when the current administration came into office,” he said.
“The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that about 36 million Nigerians will face acute hunger this year.
“The tragedy is even more painful because Nigeria has vast, arable, and fertile land. Yet about 60% remains uncultivated, providing forest hideouts for terrorist organisations and other non-state actors.”
Obi argued that insecurity had become a major obstacle to agricultural production, as farmers in several communities face attacks, kidnapping, displacement and other threats that prevent them from accessing their farms.
He maintained that the country’s food crisis could not be addressed without tackling the security challenges affecting farming communities and restoring farmers’ confidence to return to their land.
The NDC presidential candidate said World Food Day should remind the government of its responsibility to ensure that Nigerians have access to affordable food while farmers can cultivate their land without fear of violence.
He called for the elevation of the fight against hunger to the level of a national emergency, insisting that the scale of the crisis required urgent and coordinated government intervention.
Obi also outlined measures he said his administration would implement if elected president in 2027, including improved security in farming communities and targeted financial assistance to agricultural producers.
“The fight against hunger must be treated as a national emergency,” he said.
“Under our leadership, we will secure the country and return our hardworking farmers to their farms. They will receive targeted grants, subsidies, and other forms of support.”
His remarks came as Nigeria joined other countries to commemorate World Food Day 2026 under the theme, “Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow.”
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has said the government is implementing interventions aimed at increasing food production, reducing post-harvest losses and strengthening agricultural value chains.
According to the ministry, Nigeria’s agricultural sector grew by 4.39 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, while crop production expanded by 3.66 per cent during the same period.
The ministry also reported that its agricultural programmes had supported smallholder farmers to produce 2.5 million metric tonnes of staple foods over four farming seasons.
However, food insecurity remains a major concern, with the World Food Programme estimating that approximately 35 million people in Nigeria are facing acute food insecurity.
The organisation has identified conflict, climate shocks, displacement and weakening local food systems among the factors contributing to the country’s food crisis.
The estimates cited by Obi and the World Food Programme differ, reflecting the figures reported by the respective sources and potentially differing assessment periods or measures of food insecurity.
Obi insisted that increasing agricultural output must translate into affordable meals for ordinary Nigerians, arguing that food production alone would not resolve the crisis if insecurity continued to keep farmers away from their farms and millions of households remained unable to afford basic necessities.
He said addressing hunger would require a combination of improved security, direct support for farmers and policies that strengthen food production and access to markets.
“Together, we can build a Nigeria where no one goes to bed hungry and every farmer can work in peace and dignity. A new Nigeria is possible. Nigeria will be OK,” he said.