ABUJA — Former Anambra State Governor and 2027 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has warned that Nigeria’s worsening hunger crisis will only get worse unless the country elects leaders who put the welfare of citizens above personal and political interests.
Obi made the remarks while reacting to a recent alert by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), which said more than 17 million people in northern Nigeria are at risk of acute hunger.
In a statement posted on his X account, Obi described the UN report as “disheartening” and said the looming food crisis was avoidable. He noted that northern Nigeria has traditionally been the nation’s food basket and questioned how a country with vast agricultural resources could be facing such severe food insecurity.
“Nothing short of incompetent and irresponsible leadership” could have allowed the situation to deteriorate to this level, he said.
The former governor identified two major structural causes of the crisis: widespread insecurity and farmers’ inability to access their farmlands. He said banditry, insurgency, and violent attacks have forced many farming communities to abandon agriculture, leading to a sharp decline in food production across parts of northern Nigeria. He added that securing farming communities must become a national priority if Nigeria hopes to achieve food security.
Obi also criticised what he called superficial government responses to food insecurity. Instead of temporary relief measures, he urged authorities to invest in long-term agricultural reforms, including better rural infrastructure, irrigation systems, support for smallholder farmers, and agro-industrial development.
“Nigeria must shift its economic focus from consumption to production if we are to overcome hunger and poverty,” he stated.
He further called for stronger collaboration with international partners, including the World Food Programme, to bridge funding gaps and provide emergency assistance to vulnerable communities while sustainable solutions are implemented. Obi stressed that Nigeria has enough fertile land and human resources to feed its population if the right policies are put in place.
His comments come as political activities ahead of the 2027 general election gain momentum. Obi, who recently emerged as the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has consistently made food security, agricultural development, economic productivity, and compassionate leadership central themes of his campaign.
Concluding, Obi said a hunger-free Nigeria is still achievable but will require leaders who genuinely value the lives and livelihoods of ordinary citizens.
“A new Nigeria, devoid of hunger and mass poverty, remains attainable,” he said. “We must prioritise productive investment over projects that do not directly improve the welfare of the people.”
