The federal government has been acknowledged by the House of Representatives to have had a role in Nigeria’s extreme food shortages, exorbitant food costs, and smuggling. The House underlined that the Export (Prohibition) Act, 2004 must be enforced in order to stop food exports, guarantee food availability, and lower Nigerians’ cost of living in order to address the current food crisis. The motion was made by Hon. Muktar Shagaya, who cited the Constitution’s Section 14(2)(b), which declares that the security and wellbeing of the people will be the main goals of government.
Shagaya emphasised that there is a severe food shortage, inflation, and insecurity in Nigeria right now. He highlighted data from the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the World Bank showing that more than 31.8 million Nigerians, or around 16% of the population, are suffering from extreme food insecurity and malnutrition at the moment, with women and children being the most affected.
Shagaya also voiced alarm over the fact that food exports and smuggling are the main causes of the nation’s current food insecurity, with vast amounts of food goods being smuggled abroad, compromising agricultural productivity and endangering farmers’ livelihoods. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security was urged by the House to give farmers greater incentives to increase productivity and output in their fields.
