The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress in the 2027 general election, Peter Obi, has blamed Nigeria worsening food crisis on insecurity, poor governance and the inability of farmers to access their farmlands.
Obi said the hunger emergency in northern Nigeria was avoidable because the region possesses vast agricultural potential and remains one of the country main food producing zones.
He made the remarks while reacting to a recent warning by the World Food Program over rising hunger in the North.
According to him, it is unacceptable that a region with fertile land and strong farming traditions has become the centre of a deepening food crisis.
The former Anambra State governor said more than 17 million people in nine northern states were facing crisis level hunger, while more than 35 million Nigerians could be at risk during the current lean season.
He described reports that more than 10,000 people in Borno State had entered catastrophic hunger conditions as a national failure.
Obi argued that Nigeria should not be counted among the world hungriest nations when it has enough arable land and human resources to feed itself and build a productive economy.
He identified banditry, insurgency and the displacement of farming communities as major drivers of the food crisis, saying many farmers can no longer safely cultivate their land.
He said any serious solution must begin with securing agricultural corridors and restoring confidence among rural communities.
Obi criticized what he called superficial government interventions that do not improve agricultural productivity, rural infrastructure or access to markets.
He urged the federal and state governments to prioritize transparent investment in agriculture, support smallholder farmers, secure farming communities and strengthen collaboration with the World Food Program to close humanitarian funding gaps.
The NDC candidate said Nigeria must shift from consumption to production if it wants to defeat hunger and reduce poverty.
He also argued that leaders should place the survival and livelihoods of citizens above projects that do not directly address immediate social and economic hardship.
Obi said a hunger free Nigeria is possible if the country uses its land, resources and institutions in ways that expand production and protect vulnerable citizens.
