Nigeria has dropped six places lower in the 2023 Global Hunger Index (GHI) ranking
109th out of 125 countries, signifying the prevalence of hunger in the nation, according to a report published on the GHI website.
The 2023 ranking marks decline in the hunger level in the country compared it’s 2022 GHI ranking 103 out of 121 countries.
In 2023, the country ranked below nations like Sudan, Zimbabwe, DR Congo, North Korea, and Guinea.
Nigeria is grappling with record-high inflation, with an overall rate of 28.92 per cent and a food inflation rate of 33.93 per cent as at December 2023.
The surge is driven by soaring prices of staple food items such as oil and fat, meat, bread and cereals, potatoes, yam, and other tubers, fish, and milk, cheese, and eggs.
The GHI calculation involved four indicators such as under-nourishment, child stunting,
child wasting, and child mortality to determine the score for each country.
With a food inflation rate of 33.93 per cent, a significant portion of Nigerians’ earnings is spent on food items.
Despite the federal government declaring a state of emergency on food security, efforts to curb rising food prices have not yet yielded results.
Inflation persists, causing food prices to skyrocket on a month-to-month basis.
The report underscored the urgent need for comprehensive efforts to address hunger and malnutrition in Nigeria, emphasising the interconnected challenges of inflation, food security, and the overall well-being of the population.