Nigeria’s Hunger Epidemic: Tinubu’s Broadcast Comes up Short on Solutions

In a broadcast on Sunday, President Bola Tinubu addressed the nation on the fourth day of ongoing hunger protests, yet did not present immediate solutions to the demands of Nigerians.

Instead, the President outlined future plans, including the cultivation of over 10 million hectares of farmland across the country and the expenditure of billions of naira on mechanized farming equipment from the U.S., Belarus, and Brazil. These measures, while significant, are unlikely to have an immediate impact on the current food crisis.

Under Tinubu’s presidency, the prices of staple foods have soared. A market survey revealed that the cost of a 50kg bag of brown beans, which was N26,000 in 2023, had risen to N145,000 by July 2024.

President Tinubu stated that he was engaging with state governors to allocate fertile land not only for agricultural purposes but also to create job opportunities. He emphasized that the government would need to employ workers and provide incentives to cultivate these lands, aiming to reduce food prices.

“I have been meeting with our governors and key ministers to accelerate food production,” Tinubu said. “We have distributed fertilizers. Our target is to cultivate more than 10 million hectares of land to grow what we eat. The federal government will provide all necessary incentives for this initiative, while the states will provide the land, which will put millions of our people to work and further increase food production.”

The President also expressed confidence that the farming equipment ordered from abroad was already en route to Nigeria. “In the past few months, we have ordered mechanized farming equipment, including tractors and planters, worth billions of naira from the United States, Belarus, and Brazil. I can confirm to you that the equipment is on the way,” he said.

However, despite these ambitious plans, they do not address the immediate concerns of citizens grappling with skyrocketing food prices. Inflation has driven food costs up by approximately 400%, leaving many unable to afford basic necessities.

One protester at the Abuja National Stadium shared his frustration with Peoples Gazette on Thursday, saying, “Look at common garri now; a cup of garri is N200. We are just suffering.”