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Hunger Is Not Just a Stomach Problem; It Is a System Problem

In Nigeria, when we talk about hunger, we often talk about empty plates, not the empty or nonexistent or broken systems and policies that create them.

If we continue to view hunger solely as a humanitarian concern rather than a systemic national challenge, we risk missing the opportunity to create lasting solutions. Recognizing hunger as a structural issue is the first step toward building a more resilient and food-secure Nigeria.

The Invisible Price Tag of Food Insecurity

Here is the real ledger of hunger:

• Lost economic productivity: Nigeria loses over $5 billion annually due to stunted growth and malnutrition.
• Lost educational potential: Malnourished children are 30% less likely to complete school.
• Increased healthcare costs: Nutrition-related illnesses soak up already stretched public health budgets.
• Conflict and instability: Food insecurity feeds into cycles of violence, displacement, and political unrest.
• Generational poverty: Malnutrition today guarantees poverty tomorrow.

Hunger is not just a symptom to manage; it reflects deeper systemic challenges that must be addressed. Reversing hunger means rebuilding the structures that support food security, resilience, and equity.

What Nigeria Must Do: Systemic Solutions

Here are the bold, quite uncomfortable but necessary solutions to fix hunger in Nigeria.

1. Radical Agricultural Transformation

Nigeria must prioritize climate-smart, resilient agriculture that adapts to changing weather patterns and supports the smallholder farmers who feed over 80% of the population. This means shifting subsidies away from large agribusinesses and toward regenerative farming practices, expanding mobile-based agricultural extension services, and empowering youth-led agritech startups that provide digital tools for forecasting, pest control, and market access.

2. Nutrition-Centric Economic Planning

Nutrition should be treated as critical economic infrastructure. Nigeria must establish national food reserves and strategic grain and nutrition banks that go beyond emergency storage. Community-based nutrition hubs should be created to provide fortified foods, supplements, and education, especially for vulnerable groups like pregnant women and children. Scaling up school feeding programs and investing in biofortified crops such as Vitamin A cassava and iron-rich beans will help tackle hidden hunger and boost productivity.

3. Climate Resilience as National Security

Climate resilience must be embedded in Nigeria’s national security strategy. This includes investing in irrigation infrastructure, early warning systems, and weather-indexed insurance to protect farmers from climate shocks. Community-managed irrigation schemes and localized climate adaptation plans should be developed to address regional vulnerabilities. Public-private partnerships can help scale affordable crop insurance and safeguard food production.

4. Deep Governance Reforms

To sustainably address hunger, Nigeria must reform the governance of its food systems. This involves strengthening land rights through digital land registries, improving rural finance through mobile-based microcredit platforms, and ensuring fair market access for farmers. State-level food security councils with real authority and community representation should be established to decentralize decision-making and make food governance more responsive and accountable.

Awakening to a New National Destiny