The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis could increase the widespread hunger in Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy, and most populous country.
Nigeria, where some 90 million people in a population of over 200 million live on less than $2 a day, is nursing the impact of the pandemic on its shaky economy which depends majorly on oil export to generate revenue.
Unfortunately, the sector has witnessed a drop in international oil prices since the outbreak, sparking fears of recession and resulting in inflation of prices of food and other basic items in the country.
So far, Nigeria has 13,464 cases of coronavirus, 365 confirmed deaths, and 4,206 recoveries. To curb the spread of the virus, the government imposed lockdowns on businesses and institutions which forced people to stay home.
While the containment efforts helped stem an early spread of the deadly virus, a United Nations report shows that the lockdown measures could result in as many as 13 million job losses and food shortages, particularly if the restrictions go on for much longer.
The WFP has said it will scale up operations to feed three million of the neediest people in Nigeria. Agency spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs said among those that will benefit from the program are city-dwellers in Kano, Abuja, and Lagos who are the most affected by the socio-economic knock-on effects from COVID-19.
Also, women, men, and children affected by a decade-long insurgency in the north-eastern states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe are included in the programme and will receive increased food and nutrition support.
“We are concerned about conflict-affected communities in north-east Nigeria who already face extreme hunger and who are especially vulnerable. They are on life-support and need assistance to survive,” she said.
According to Byrs, WFP is distributing a two-months supply of food and nutrition assistance in camps for displaced people in Nigeria to ensure there is enough to eat during the COVID lockdown period.
More so, WFP is providing technical support to strengthen government-run social protection programs. These include feeding programs for some nine million children who are missing out on meals because of COVID-19 school closures.
The agency is appealing for $182 million to provide assistance over the next six months in Nigeria. Much of the aid will be used to help people whose livelihoods and incomes have been greatly affected by COVID-19, it said.
