Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, has warned of what he called an avoidable food crisis engulfing northern Nigeria, after a United Nations report revealed that more than 17 million people across nine states are facing crisis-level hunger.
In a post on his X account Saturday, Obi described the situation as the worst in nearly a decade, citing the World Food Programme’s findings. He said the unfolding crisis was not inevitable but the result of what he called incompetent and irresponsible leadership.
Northern Nigeria, often referred to as the country’s food basket, has long supplied grains, livestock, and other staples to the rest of the nation. Obi argued that the region’s potential makes the current hunger emergency especially tragic, stressing that leadership failures have turned abundance into scarcity.
The UN report painted a stark picture of families skipping meals, children suffering from malnutrition, and communities struggling to cope with rising food prices. Aid workers say the crisis has been worsened by conflict in farming areas, climate shocks such as droughts and floods, and economic instability that has driven inflation to record highs.
Obi’s remarks struck a chord with many Nigerians who see hunger not just as a humanitarian issue but as a test of governance. “This is a failure of leadership,” he wrote, urging immediate action to stabilize food supplies and support vulnerable households. His comments also carry political weight as Nigeria prepares for future elections.
Students, farmers, and traders in the North have echoed those concerns, describing empty markets and dwindling harvests. “We used to feed the nation,” one farmer in Kano said, “but now we can barely feed ourselves.” Civil society groups have called for urgent government intervention, including investment in agriculture, better security for farming communities, and stronger partnerships with international agencies.
The crisis has drawn attention from international observers, who warn that Nigeria’s fragile balance between vast agricultural potential and systemic challenges is at risk. They say the outcome will shape not only the country’s food security but also its political stability in the months ahead.
For many, the hunger emergency is a reminder that Nigeria’s future depends on leadership that can harness its resources and protect its people. The voices of those affected, families, farmers, and children underscore the urgency of action before the crisis deepens further.
