Two non-governmental organisations, the Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP) and OXFAM, have called on the Nigerian government to fully implement the Right to Food Act to help tackle rising hunger and malnutrition in the country.
The call was made during a high-level stakeholders’ dialogue held in Lagos, where experts and government representatives gathered to discuss the current food crisis and the way forward.
The Right to Food Act, which was signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in March 2023, aims to ensure that every Nigerian has access to safe, sufficient, and nutritious food. However, more than a year later, the law is yet to be fully enforced or implemented nationwide.
Delivering a keynote address, Michael David, Executive Director of GIFSEP, described food as a fundamental human right and warned that Nigeria’s long-standing food insecurity cannot be solved without concrete action.
“Food security has eluded Nigeria since independence. The continued failure to enforce the Right to Food Act is one of the major reasons why millions of Nigerians still go hungry daily,” David said.
He stressed that the right to food is more than access to meals — it represents freedom from hunger, dignity, and the right to live a healthy life. He also mentioned that poverty, rising food prices, unemployment, and poor infrastructure continue to limit food access across the country.
David urged government at all levels to strengthen multi-stakeholder collaboration, build accountable systems, and prioritise the full enforcement of the Act.
“Today, we must move from policy talk to real action. It is time to hold the relevant authorities accountable and ensure that food becomes a guaranteed right for all Nigerians,” he added.
The event also had representatives from the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems. Oluranti Sagoe-Oviebo, who represented the Commissioner for Agriculture, Abisola Olusanya, welcomed the advocacy and confirmed that Lagos is already taking bold steps to address food insecurity.
She highlighted Lagos’ Fresh Food Hub and support for smallholder farmers as examples of the state’s efforts to ensure food availability and affordability for residents.
Speaking on behalf of OXFAM, John Makina, the Country Director, said that despite Nigeria’s abundant natural and human resources, millions still suffer from hunger and malnutrition. He blamed the situation on a mix of poverty, inequality, internal displacement, weak infrastructure, and climate change.
Citing United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) data, Makina revealed that over 20 million Nigerians are severely food insecure, and between 2020 and 2022, more than 21 percent of the population experienced hunger.
“Many Nigerians go through entire days without food. This is unacceptable in a country with vast agricultural potential. We must change the system so that food becomes accessible and affordable for all,” Makina said.
The event ended with a collective call on federal and state governments to take immediate steps to implement the Right to Food Act and prioritise sustainable agricultural policies that can end hunger in Africa’s most populous nation.
