Solutions to rising food prices in Nigeria

For far too long, Nigerians have been tormented by the astronomical rise in the prices of basic food and services in the market. This raises serious concerns as steep prices have eroded the purchasing power of citizens, leading to insecurity, an increase in poverty and an unpalatable cost of living. With food now a primary resource for human survival, the disruption caused by rising food inflation has further decimated their low wages. The government at all levels should undertake tangible programs to combat hunger in the country.

In its recently released March data, the National Bureau of Statistics pegged food inflation at 40.01 percent and 33.20 percent for the consumer price index. This translates into an increase of 1.5 percent from the 33.70 percent for core inflation in February.

Inflation has therefore risen for fifteen months in a row and is at the highest level in 28 years. This increase is mainly reflected in the prices of garri, millet, yam, sardine, fermented cassava flour (akpu), palm oil, vegetable oil and beef, among others.

This is especially alarming because these food items are staples in most homes across the country. The lack of these items would seriously contribute to hunger and malnutrition in the country.

According to the World Bank, the poverty rate in Nigeria in 2023 with 87 million people was 38.9. This is the second highest in the world after that of India. A 2022 NBS survey shows that 133 million Nigerians live in multi-dimensional poverty.

The country undoubtedly remains food insecure. Although UNICEF has stated that 25 million Nigerians are at high risk of hunger, it is expected that 31.5 million citizens will face acute hunger between May and August 2024. The global agency attributes the situation to insecurity, climate change, inflation and rising food prices.

According to the 2023 Global Hunger Index, Nigeria’s hunger level is ‘severe’. Nigeria ranks 109th out of 125 countries with a score of 28.3 percent on the hunger index. This is a bleak prospect that needs to be improved by government at the grassroots, state and federal levels.

High energy prices create a new mess. When the raw food finally arrives, citizens are faced with another harsh reality of cooking it. Cooking gas prices have risen rapidly in recent months. The retail price was N11,510 for 12.5kg of gas in December. On a year-on-year basis, retail prices increased by 12.31 percent from N10,248 in December 2022, the NBS said. More was painful. The price reached N16,000 in February before falling to N14,500 in April.

In recognition of the hardships brought on by hyperinflation, the federal government this month released 42,000 tons of corn, sorghum and millet to ease the suffering of vulnerable households. In Lagos, the state government opened 42 centers to purchase food on Sundays at subsidized rates not exceeding N25,000 per person. These interventions help, but only scratch the surface.

First, without adequate security, Nigeria cannot have food sustainability. The country is struggling with banditry, wanton killings, kidnappings, crime, Islamic terrorism and violent attacks by Fulani herdsmen on farmers.

As a result, farmers have abandoned their farmlands for fear of bandits and herdsmen, contributing to food shortages across the country. In March, the Cocoa and Plantain Farmers Association of Nigeria said that despite the presence of security agents, many farmers have abandoned their farmlands as a result of incessant killing, kidnapping and destruction of farms.

The situation is widespread in Benue, Plateau, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Katsina and Borno, where violence is ravaging states often considered Nigeria’s food belt.

In Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and other states, bandits and terrorists have the upper hand, collecting fees or letters of support from farmers before they can plant or harvest their crops.

SBM Intelligence said 2,134 people were killed in the first quarter of 2024 under President Bola Tinubu. In December, about 150 villagers were massacred by bandits in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State during Christmas festivities.

In an annual ritual, Boko Haram Islamists last November beheaded 15 rice farmers harvesting the crop in Borno state. In November 2020, the Islamists had similarly beheaded 76 rice farmers in Zabarmari in the same state.

Unfortunately, the situation is made worse by poor rural roads across the country. Of the 200,000 kilometers of road network, 87 percent is in a dire condition, says the World Bank. In contrast, India built 300,000 km of roads between 2000 and 2010, reducing agricultural losses from 80 to 20 percent and encouraging citizens to return home to farm work.

Nigeria is lagging behind in this. The roads are a death trap, leading to farm losses and a bulwark for the movement of food and raw materials in the country. The state governments must stop making excuses for this; they should prioritize the development of rural roads to decongest the agricultural sector.

They must tackle the threat of ‘nuisance loads’ on the roads. These taxes, collected by amorphous non-state actors, hinder the evacuation of products and increase the final prices of food products.

The federal government, which had previously stated that it would work with states to reduce the number of taxes from more than 80 to nine, should reveal its plans on the matter soon.

To ensure food security, Tinubu and his National Security Advisor, Nuhu Ribadu, the police and other security agencies must take control of Nigeria’s security architecture.

Intelligence gathering, coordination and technology must be deployed urgently to combat the ugly descent into anarchy.

This calls for the urgent establishment of a state police force across the country. Taking proactive measures to combat crime while responding quickly to brutal attacks on farmers and citizens will go a long way. State governments and the federal and state parliaments must invoke the ‘doctrine of necessity’ to realize state police.

With its high population – estimated at 223 million – Nigeria needs a robust agricultural system to feed its population. Therefore, it needs to develop infrastructure to retain excess rainwater for dry season agriculture.

The country needs more silos for preserving and storing food. Although agriculture contributes 26.3 percent to Nigeria’s nominal GDP (first quarter of 2023), this sector has the potential to contribute 50 percent to GDP.

The government at all three levels should support farmers with accountable and transparent incentives while encouraging farming by enabling farmers to secure mechanized farming instruments in farm clusters. Low-interest loans must be made available to participants in these clusters.

Private and cooperative livestock farming will help reduce legitimate fears between farming and pastoralist communities. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, should drive a seamless agricultural architecture.

Nigeria should explore efficient and successful agricultural models within and outside the continent to reduce high food inflation.