Nigeria has been listed as one of the nine countries expected to experience worsening hunger throughout the remaining of 2023 and 2024.
This news came about according to the latest Global Hunger Index (GHI), which is a tool for comprehensively measuring and tracking hunger at global, regional, and national levels.
The index also highlighted Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Yemen, Burkina Faso and Mali as the other countries.
The report claims many countries are experiencing severe hunger in 2023. Meanwhile, the situation is expected to worsen throughout the year.
Though circumstances in 2023 are not yet captured by the data in this year’s GHI scores, early warning resources indicate that many areas of the world are in crisis.
Also, it is noted that conflict and climate change are key drivers of these crises, as economic downturns remain a strong factor.
The report also notes that Nigeria ranks 109th out of the 125 countries with sufficient data to calculate 2023 GHI scores. With a score of 28.3 in the Index, Nigeria has a level of hunger that is serious.
According to the United Nations, food insecurity is the lack of consistent access to food, which diminishes dietary quality, disrupts normal eating patterns, and can have negative consequences for those who are affected.