Nigeria Faces Severe Food Insecurity with 36.3 Million Affected

According to the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Nigeria has 36.3 million people experiencing Crisis or worse food insecurity as of August 2026, representing 16.7% of the country's population. This figure is the highest among 17 African countries monitored.

The report attributes the food insecurity to ongoing conflict, insecurity, displacement, high food prices, and weather-related production challenges. While Nigeria has the largest affected population, South Sudan has the highest proportional food insecurity at 55%.

The report indicates that food insecurity conditions remained stable across most countries compared to July, with some improvements noted in Malawi and Zambia. Despite maize prices being lower than a year ago, challenges such as displacement and high transport costs persist.

Earlier reports indicated that farmers in North-Central and North-West Nigeria faced rising input costs and post-harvest losses, with significant price increases for onions and ogbono. Projections from PwC indicated that 34.7 million Nigerians were at risk of acute food insecurity in 2026.