The global food sector is facing escalating crises as climate-induced extreme weather events continue to disrupt food production and inflate prices — and Nigerians are already feeling the heat.
According to a new report by a consortium of European scientists and institutions, key food items such as rice, cocoa, coffee, lettuce, and potatoes have experienced dramatic price hikes due to heatwaves, floods, and droughts across several continents.
The report, released ahead of the UN Food Systems Summit scheduled to hold in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from July 27 to 29, links climate change to rising global food prices and warns that low-income households are the worst affected.
The researchers cited a 280 percent spike in global cocoa prices in April 2024 due to a heatwave in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, and a 300 percent rise in lettuce prices in Australia following 2022 floods.
In South Korea, cabbage prices surged 70 percent in September 2024, while rice in Japan jumped 48 percent after a heatwave. Coffee prices soared 55 percent globally due to a 2023 drought in Brazil.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is not immune to these shocks.
The country has seen significant fluctuations in the prices of staple foods such as rice, tomatoes, onions, and yam, many of which are climate-sensitive crops.
Experts in the Nigerian food sector say unpredictable rainfall, recurring floods, prolonged droughts, and rising temperatures have disrupted local harvests and worsened food insecurity.
In 2023, parts of Nigeria’s food-producing belts in the North experienced flooding that destroyed thousands of hectares of farmland, leading to scarcity and price hikes.
The situation deteriorated further in 2024, as extended dry spells affected crop yields in states like Benue, Plateau, and Taraba.
The price of a 50kg bag of rice jumped by over 60 percent, while tomato and onion prices more than doubled in many markets across the country.
Lead author of the global report, Maximillian Kotz from the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, noted that “until we get to net zero emissions, extreme weather will only get worse,” stressing that the ongoing crisis is already damaging crops and “pushing up the price of food all over the world.”
In Nigeria, where a significant portion of household income is spent on food, the rising cost of staples is worsening poverty levels and heightening the cost-of-living crisis.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), food inflation rose to over 40 percent in June 2024 — one of the highest levels in decades.
The report warns that unless global emissions are urgently reduced, countries like Nigeria, where climate resilience is low and food systems are fragile, will continue to suffer severe food-related economic shocks.
It also notes that food inflation has become a major electoral issue in several countries including Japan, the UK, the U.S., and Argentina — and Nigeria may not be far behind as all eyes are already focused on 2027 election season.
As the world awaits the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on states’ legal obligations regarding climate change, scientists insist that current emission reduction commitments are insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target.
For Nigeria, the message is clear, as climate action must go hand-in-hand with agricultural investment, sustainable food systems, and disaster preparedness — or the nation risks deeper food insecurity and economic hardship.