An estimated 33.5 million Nigerians including internally displaced persons (IDPs) are expected to face acute food insecurity between June and August 2027 raising concerns over the country’s food and nutrition outlook.
The projection covers 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) according to the October 2026 Cadre Harmonisé (CH) Food and Nutrition Insecurity Analysis report.
The report also estimated that 26.8 million people including 756815 internally displaced persons in Borno Sokoto and Zamfara states would experience crisis-level food insecurity or worse between October and December 2026.
For the June-to-August 2027 period the number of affected people is projected to include 891228 displaced persons in the three states.
The findings point to mounting pressure on vulnerable households as insecurity displacement rising fuel costs climate-related shocks and persistent food inflation continue to undermine access to adequate food.
Borno Yobe Adamawa Katsina Zamfara and Sokoto were identified among the states experiencing the most severe food consumption difficulties.
The report further raised concerns about the risk of worsening malnutrition particularly among children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women.
It attributed the threat to poor dietary intake declining household purchasing power disease outbreaks insecurity and inadequate access to healthcare safe water and sanitation facilities.
To mitigate the risks the analysis recommended strengthening nutrition monitoring expanding interventions to prevent and treat acute malnutrition providing dietary support and improving access to essential healthcare water sanitation and hygiene services in affected communities.
Speaking at the presentation of the report in Abuja the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS Dr Hussein Gadain said the findings would help authorities and development partners identify emerging threats and direct resources to areas with the greatest needs.
Gadain who was represented by an FAO official reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting Nigeria through technical assistance capacity development and evidence-based programmes aimed at improving food security and strengthening resilience.
He emphasised the importance of maintaining national ownership of food security coordination mechanisms and improving early-warning systems to enable timely action before conditions deteriorate further.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi said the Federal Government was pursuing measures to increase domestic food production and strengthen the country’s agricultural system.
He said the interventions included improving farmers’ access to agricultural inputs and financing expanding mechanisation and irrigation and encouraging climate-smart farming practices.
Ogunbiyi listed the Renewed Hope Farm Input Support Programme Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme and Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones among the initiatives being implemented to raise productivity and improve the resilience of the food system.
However he disclosed that 10 states had yet to be fully integrated into the Cadre Harmonisé analysis highlighting the need to strengthen data collection and technical capacity across the country.
He called on development and humanitarian partners to support efforts to improve the coverage and quality of the assessment.
According to him incorporating the remaining states into the process would provide a more comprehensive picture of food insecurity nationwide strengthen preparedness and help authorities design more targeted responses to vulnerable populations.