Nigeria: Social indicators worsen in Nigeria

Nigeria has fallen six places in the 2023 Global Hunger Index (GHI), ranking 109th among 125 countries. The GHI score of 28.3 indicates a significant hunger level, reflecting a deterioration compared to the 2022 ranking of 103 out of 121 countries. Factors contributing to this decline include food inflation, insecurity, and a rising overall inflation rate of 28.92%, with a food inflation rate of 33.93% as of December 2023. The country faces challenges such as terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping, prompting farmers to abandon fields and exacerbating food insecurity. Experts emphasize the need for agricultural reforms to enhance productivity and address rising food prices. The persistence of high food prices is expected to hinder Africa's progress toward achieving zero hunger by 2030.