Skyrocketing food prices are forcing millions of Nigerian children to go to school on empty stomachs, raising fears of a worsening malnutrition crisis.
Families across the country are struggling to afford staples like rice, garri, bread, and even sachet water, as economic hardship deepens.
Health surveys already show a grim picture: one in three Nigerian children is stunted, while UNICEF estimates that 23.5 million suffer from anaemia, 12 million are stunted, and three million are wasted.
Experts warn the numbers could rise sharply if urgent action is not taken.
Prof. Ngozi Nnam, President of the Federation of African Nutrition Societies, said hunger is having a devastating impact on children. “Many families cannot afford one meal a day. Most children now go to school hungry, which affects their ability to learn and develop properly,” she noted.
Similarly, Prof. Wasiu Afolabi, former President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, stressed that Nigeria bears the highest burden of stunted children in Africa.
He warned that rising costs and insecurity preventing farmers from producing food would further deepen the crisis.
The experts called on the Federal Government to act swiftly by introducing short- and medium-term measures to make food available and affordable.
They cautioned that without urgent intervention, malnutrition will continue to undermine children’s health, education, and the country’s future development.