The Nigerian federal government has admitted that Nigeria is facing a “rare food security crisis”, according to Vice President Kashim Shettima.
To tackle the widespread hunger due to skyrocketing food prices, the federal government has set up a committee named the Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit (PFSCU).
Shettima, while inaugurating the committee on Friday, said all Nigerian leaders “must come to terms with the reality” and address it.
“Food insecurity endangers the very basis of our democratic experiment, and this is why all hands must be on deck,” Shettima added.
Members of the committee include governors, cabinet ministers, and development partners’ representatives.
West Africa Weekly reported that Nigerians are facing unprecedented economic hardships due to the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The administration’s policies that have now deepened food insecurity in Nigeria include the removal of subsidies on fuel and electricity, as well as forex reforms.
Meanwhile, the federal government has suspended import duties on food items such as rice, maize beans, and wheat to reduce prices. It has been projected that as a result of this measure, food prices will crash in the next 180 days (January 2025).
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