The United Nations World Food Programme (UN WFP) has earmarked $2.5 billion under its 2023-2027 Nigeria Country Strategy Plans (CSP) to achieve zero hunger and improve nutrition nationwide.
Seriene Loum, head of programme at WFP, made this known on Wednesday, February 5. 2025 at the organisation’s co-creation workshop held in collaboration with the National Social Investment Programme Agency (N-SIPA) in Abuja.
Loum, represented by David Stevenson, WFP’s country director, said the WFP’s strategic goal is to ensure a world without hunger, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) one and two on poverty and zero hunger.
He said the WFP would collaborate closely with UN member states, including Nigeria, to mobilise resources and fully implement the programmes.
“WFP Nigeria CSP 2023 to 2027 a five-year project has a dedicated activity for strengthening institutional capacities and enhanced enabling environment in line with national target to achieve zero hunger by 2030,” he said.
“The project focuses on food technology, fortification of supply chain management, improving nutrition and emergency preparedness responses.
“2023 to 2027 have five pillars and each of them focus on zero hunger and improved nutrition.
“We have some interventions that focus on emergency response, making sure that people will not go to bed hungry which are lifesaving activities that aim to provide immediate food assistance to people that are in need.”
Notably, Loum said 25 million Nigerians are currently experiencing acute food insecurity, with projections showing a further increase.
He said Nigeria runs one of Africa’s biggest social safety net programmes, which intends to lift millions of people out of poverty.
“Considering the current economic trend and level of vulnerabilities in Nigeria the Cadre Harmonised (C result of October 2024) reveals that about 25 million Nigerians are acutely food insecure and projected to reach 33 million between June to August 2025,” he said.
“It is therefore expedient that all stakeholders most especially, WFP need to work together with the Federal Government for this very ambitious goal to be achieved.”
By: Babajide Okeowo