Global Hunger Index: Nigeria ranked 110th among 127 countries investigated

Etim Ekpimah

Nigeria’s Global Hunger Index of 2024 shows that the country ranked 110th out of 127 countries investigated. With a 28.8% score indicating the country’s moderate level of hunger.

Member representing Ibiono Ibom State Constituency in the House of Representatives, Moses Essien disclosed this in Uyo on Wednesday.

Essien noted that MDAs were directly involved in Nutrition and Food Security in Akwa Ibom State. He added that they include the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Local Govt/Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Economic Development, Budget Office, Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Bulk Purchase Agency, among others.

He stated that the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security would soon interface with the MDAs for the official inauguration of the Local Government House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security.

“The councillors represent wards in the Local Government Legislative Council and show the level of commitment to the Nutrition 774 Standard Operating Procedures in fighting food insecurity and malnutrition by involving the grassroots commanders.

“Nigeria’s Global Hunger Index of 2024 shows that the country ranked 110th out of 127 countries investigated. With a 28.8% score indicating the country’s moderate level of hunger.

“If the four pillars of food security, that is – food availability, access, utilisation, and stability, must be achieved, all stakeholders in Akwa Ibom State must embrace the initiative of Eno and return to farming.

“This is the farming season, and with the rain setting in, we must make adequate and effective use of the season through farming to have food to feed our teeming population,” he said.

He explained that on Tuesday, 18th March, 2025, the National Legislative Network on Nutrition and Food Security led by Dr Chike Okafor, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security in the Federal House of Representative together with the leadership of the Forum of Chairmen of Nutrition and Food Security in the 36 state Houses of Assembly in Nigeria met with Rt. Hon Speaker, House of Representatives, His Excellency, Alhaji Tajudeen Abbas in his office at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.

The same Network and Leadership also met with His Excellency Alhaji Kashim Shettima, Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, at Aso Rock Villa, Abuja on Wednesday, 19th March, 2025.

He said that the purpose of the visit and meeting was to inform and seek consent of the speaker and the Vice President to attend the forthcoming national workshop on Nutrition and Food Security scheduled in May 2025.

He said: “It is important to note that the Committee on Nutrition and Food Security is a creation of the Federal House of Representatives, and all issues about Nutrition and Food Security are domiciled in the office of the Vice President.

“The Vice President is also the Chairman of the National Economic Council in Nigeria. The National Legislative Network on Nutrition and Food Security was inaugurated on 22nd July, 2024, and the inauguration witnessed the investiture of Rt. Hon. Speaker, House of Representatives, as the Grand Patron of the Network.

“The forum of chairmen of Nutrition and Food Security in the 36 State Houses of Assembly was also inaugurated, and the leadership of the forum was elected with Rt. Hon. Tolulope Ige, who is the Majority Leader and Chairman, House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Ekiti State House of Assembly, as the Chairman, while I served as the PRO of the forum.

“The chairmen of the 36 State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria were also mandated to meet with Local Government Chairmen and Leaders of Legislative Council and mandate them to ensure that each legislative council in the 774 local government councils also have committees on Nutrition and Food Security.”

The lawmaker said the genesis of the present much-talked-about N774 was the initiative of the Federal Government. It was simply the idea and brainchild of the office of the Vice President of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.

He said combating the hydra-headed challenges of malnutrition and food insecurity would be fought with only the national government without the sub-national and local government involvement.

Essien emphasized that the N774 initiative was aimed at involving all the 774 local government councils in Nigeria in the fight against food insecurity and malnutrition.

“The Nutrition 774 initiative has a Standard Operating Procedure that must be followed by the federal, state and local governments. Those procedures involve: nutrition challenges, beneficiaries, programme intervention areas, monitoring and evaluation, implementation and coordination, governance and institutional structures, collaborating MDAs, roles and responsibilities, finance and resources mobilization,” he said.

He, however, urged the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, PhD, to convene and inaugurate the committee in the state and charge them with action.

He added that the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security would soon interface with these MDAs for the official inauguration of the Local Government House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security.