Battle, rising prices to push 34.7 million Nigerians into meals insecurity – PwC
Nigeria is projected to face a worsening meals safety disaster in 2026, with as much as 34.7 million individuals prone to acute meals insecurity.
That is in keeping with PwC’s Nigeria {Economic} Outlook 2026 report titled “Turning Macroeconomic Stability into Sustainable Development.”
The report warns that until pressing and coordinated coverage actions are taken, these components will proceed to weaken meals production, distribution, and entry throughout the nation.
PwC attributes the projected rise in meals insecurity to persistent insecurity, notably in northern Nigeria, the place battle has displaced 1000’s of farmers and disrupted core agricultural actions reminiscent of planting and harvesting.
“Battle, excessive enter prices, and local weather shocks are anticipated to push 34.7 million Nigerians into acute meals insecurity in 2026,” PwC stated within the report.
Based on the report, between January and October 2025, about 34,000 individuals have been displaced throughout Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states, considerably lowering out there agricultural labour.
The outlook highlights a pointy enhance in agricultural enter prices as one other main constraint on meals production.
The nationwide common value of NPK fertiliser rose by 19.5% in 2025 to about N52,000 per 50kg bag, the report famous.
“Production prices elevated sharply, with maize and soybean production prices up 29.2% and 36.8%,” the report said.
“Restricted entry to finance decreased enter utilization: solely 62% of farmers used agricultural inputs in 2025, down from 81% in 2024, resulting in a 24% drop in enter software and an 8% contraction in cultivated land,” PwC added.
Erratic rainfall patterns and extended dry spells in 2025 resulted in below-average agricultural output in a number of areas.
PwC warned that these shocks have already decreased meals availability and are more likely to exacerbate meals insecurity in 2026.
PwC’s projections align with warnings from farmers and worldwide organisations, underscoring the size of the looming disaster.
Nairametrics beforehand reported that farmers within the North-Central and North-West areas warned of abandoning farming as a result of rising production prices, insecurity, and large post-harvest losses.
Equally, the United Nations Meals and Agriculture Group (FAO) has projected that about 34.7 million Nigerians may face extreme meals insecurity in the course of the June–August 2026 lean season, primarily based on its October 2025 Cadre Harmonisé evaluation.
Nigeria has struggled with meals inflation pushed by insecurity, forex pressures, and rising vitality and enter prices.
Fertiliser costs and restricted entry to agricultural finance have considerably decreased enter utilization amongst smallholder farmers.
FAO and different improvement companions have repeatedly referred to as for pressing interventions to enhance safety, local weather resilience, and meals provide chains.
PwC harassed that addressing insecurity, lowering enter prices, increasing agricultural finance, and strengthening local weather adaptation will likely be essential to stopping the projected meals insecurity from escalating right into a humanitarian disaster in 2026.