Forty years ago, Nigerians were already complaining about high food prices. Today, those complaints have turned into desperate cries, as families struggle to afford even the most basic meals.

Nigeria is a country rich in farmland and agriculture, yet food prices continue to rise beyond the reach of ordinary people. For older Nigerians, food was once one of the cheapest things to buy but now, a simple trip to the market can leave a family struggling to make ends meet.

The removal of fuel subsidies in mid-2023 made everything more expensive, especially food. Fuel prices tripled overnight, increasing the cost of transporting food from farms to cities. Farmers and traders, already dealing with expensive fertiliser and farming tools, had no choice but to pass these costs on to consumers.

As a result, food prices have soared. Tomatoes and peppers, once affordable, have become luxuries. Rice and beans, staple foods for many, are now difficult to buy in large quantities. Even a simple meal of bread, tea, and milk is out of reach for many households.

A recent report by Veriv Africa revealed that Nigerians now spend 97.4 per cent of their income on food, the highest percentage among 105 countries surveyed worldwide. With over 63 per cent of Nigerians living in poverty, this situation is alarming.

Nigeria grows a lot of food, but much of it never reaches the people who need it. The country loses over N3.5 trillion worth of food every year due to poor storage and preservation. Without proper cold storage facilities, fruits, vegetables and dairy products spoil before they can be sold.

Farmers in Benue, Zamfara, and Kaduna, known as Nigeria’s “food baskets”, are also facing a serious crisis. Bandits have forced many farmers off their land, making food production even more difficult. A report by SBM Intel found that between 2020 and 2023, farmers in North-West Nigeria paid N139.5 million in levies to bandits. Many also had to pay over N1.19 billion in ransom just to be freed after being kidnapped.

With farmers abandoning their fields for safety, food production has dropped, and prices have continued to rise.

One way to reduce food prices would be to import more food. However, Nigeria’s food imports are among the lowest compared to other countries. Nigeria’s imports per capita are just $215, while Brazil imports $1,635 per person, Turkey $4,197, South Africa $1,992, and Mexico $5,121.

The government introduced a 150-day duty-free window for essential food imports in July 2024, hoping to bring prices down. However, this did not work as expected. Importers faced challenges such as foreign exchange volatility, supply chain problems, and unclear policies, making it difficult to bring in enough food.

As food prices rise, more Nigerians are slipping into extreme poverty. In December 2024, dozens of people, including women and children, died in stampedes at charity events while struggling to get free food. These tragic incidents show just how bad the situation has become.

For many Nigerians, the biggest daily worry is not about jobs, education, or even healthcare. It is about how to afford the next meal.

Experts say that Nigeria cannot continue using short-term solutions to fix its food crisis. The government must invest in modern storage facilities, improve transport networks, and protect farmers from insecurity. It must also allow more food imports to stabilise prices while improving local production.

According to John Makina, Country Director of Oxfam Nigeria, food is not a privilege, it is a human right.

“Food is the foundation of any country’s development. Over 30 million Nigerians will go hungry if we do not act now,” he warned.

If urgent steps are not taken, food will remain available but only to those who can afford it. The rest will continue to struggle, their plates emptier each day.