TACKLING GROWING HUNGER AND POVERTY
The authorities could do more to contain the scourge First celebrated in 1979, the World Food Day is marked annually on October 16 to promote awareness of hunger and map
World Food Day, celebrated on October 16th since 1979, aims to raise awareness of hunger and devise strategies to achieve food security. This year's theme is "Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow," with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) urging global cooperation for a peaceful, sustainable, and food-secure future. Despite the critical need for food, urgent action is needed to prevent a humanitarian crisis in Nigeria, a nation where a significant portion of the population lives in extreme poverty.
According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in its 2026 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report, the number of Nigerians falling into poverty increased from 72.2 million in 2021 to 90.1 million in 2024, marking the largest rise among five countries experiencing a decline in poverty rates. The multidimensional poverty rate increased from 33% in 2021 to 38.7% in 2024.
The report measures deprivation across three dimensions: health, education, and standard of living, with 10 indicators such as nutrition, child mortality, years of schooling, and household assets. A person is considered multidimensionally poor if their household experiences deprivation in at least one-third of these weighted indicators.
While the federal government has implemented measures to ease the cost of living through fuel price modulation, opposition parties argue that temporary solutions will not sustainably address the crisis. The government and authorities across the 36 states must acknowledge the widening gap between the rich and poor, as well as the seeming hopelessness for a large segment of the population in a nation rich in natural and human resources.
Nigerians must demand equity, fairness, and accountability to break this cycle of deepening poverty.
Written by urgent.news from This Day's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
