Kyari insisted that the report’s projection of 33.5 million Nigerians facing acute food insecurity in 2027 should be treated as an early-warning signal rather than an indictment of the federal government.
The minister, who acknowledged the country’s persistent food and nutrition challenges, said the technical assessment was being misrepresented by opposition voices for political purposes, warning against turning the food security situation into an electoral campaign issue.
His position comes as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)-backed assessment projects that the number of Nigerians facing crisis-level food insecurity or worse could rise by 6.7 million, from 26.8 million between October and December 2026 to 33.5 million during the June-August 2027 lean season.
The projected increase highlights the mounting pressure on vulnerable households, particularly as declining food stocks, elevated food prices, reduced purchasing power, and disruptions to agricultural livelihoods, threaten access to food.
However, in a statement, the minister said the 33.5 million projection was lower than the 34.8 million projected for the corresponding period in 2026, maintaining that the figures have been selectively interpreted to advance political narratives.
He explained that the Cadre Harmonisé was developed by the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), with technical support from international organisations, including FAO, World Food Programme (WFP), FEWS NET, and UNICEF.
According to him, the framework provides an evidence-based mechanism for identifying populations vulnerable to food and nutrition insecurity and enabling governments and development partners to respond before conditions deteriorate.
Kyari stressed that the assessment did not attribute the projected food insecurity to the continuation of any particular political administration, describing such interpretations as a distortion of its findings.
However, the assessment points to significant vulnerabilities across the country, identifying conflict and insecurity, population displacement, high fuel prices, climate-related shocks, and persistent food inflation as major drivers of food insecurity.
It covered 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with findings indicating that vulnerable communities would remain exposed to severe food consumption challenges.
The report projected that 756,815 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Borno, Sokoto and Zamfara states would face crisis-level food insecurity or worse between October and December 2026.
The number is expected to increase to 891,228 during the June-August 2027 period.
Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto were among the states identified as facing some of the most severe food consumption challenges.
The assessment further highlighted the impact of insecurity and displacement on agricultural livelihoods, with farmers in affected communities facing restricted access to farmland and productive assets.
Rising fuel, transportation, energy and fertiliser costs were also identified as factors increasing production expenses and weakening household purchasing power.
The nutrition outlook was equally concerning, with the report warning that inadequate dietary intake, disease outbreaks, reduced household incomes, and limited access to healthcare, clean water, and sanitation could worsen acute malnutrition, particularly among children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women.
It recommended timely food assistance, targeted cash transfers, and livelihood support, alongside stronger nutrition surveillance and improved prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition.
Responding to the challenges, Kyari identified climate change, inconsistent rainfall, and prolonged dry spells as major constraints to agricultural production, particularly for farmers dependent on rain-fed agriculture.
