PwC Warns 34.7 Million Nigerians Face Acute Food Insecurity in 2026 Amid Conflict, Rising Costs Crisis

PwC has warned that 34.7 million Nigerians face acute food insecurity in 2026 amid conflict and rising costs crisis.

 

NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Nigeria is heading toward a deeper food security crisis in 2026, with as many as 34.7 million people projected to fall into acute food insecurity, according to PwC’s Nigeria Economic Outlook 2026 report, titled “Turning Macroeconomic Stability into Sustainable Growth.”

 

The report warns that without urgent and coordinated policy action, a mix of conflict, rising production costs, and climate-related shocks will continue to undermine food production, distribution, and access across the country.

 

PwC links the grim outlook largely to persistent insecurity, especially in northern Nigeria, where violent conflict has displaced farmers and disrupted key agricultural activities such as planting and harvesting.

 

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“Conflict, high input costs, and climate shocks are expected to push 34.7 million Nigerians into acute food insecurity in 2026,” PwC stated.

 

Between January and October 2025, about 34,000 people were displaced across Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states, significantly reducing the agricultural labour force and cutting output in key food-producing areas.

 

The report also highlights the sharp rise in farming costs as a major constraint on food production. PwC said the national average price of NPK fertiliser rose by 19.5 per cent in 2025 to around N52,000 per 50kg bag.

Production costs surged across major crops, with maize and soybean costs increasing by 29.2 per cent and 36.8 per cent respectively.

“Limited access to finance reduced input usage: only 62 per cent of farmers used agricultural inputs in 2025, down from 81 per cent in 2024, leading to a 24 per cent drop in input application and an 8 per cent contraction in cultivated land,” the report noted.

Erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells in 2025 further weakened harvests in several regions, reducing food availability and raising the risk of shortages in 2026.

 

Warnings from farmers and global agencies

PwC’s projections align with warnings from farmers and international agencies. Farmers in the North-Central and North-West regions have already raised the alarm over rising costs, insecurity, and heavy post-harvest losses, saying many are considering abandoning farming altogether.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has also projected that about 34.7 million Nigerians could face severe food insecurity during the June–August 2026 lean season, based on its October 2025 Cadre Harmonisé analysis.

What needs to be done

Nigeria’s food system continues to struggle under the weight of insecurity, currency pressures, high energy costs, and expensive farm inputs. PwC said tackling these challenges is now critical to preventing the situation from sliding into a full-scale humanitarian crisis.

The firm called for urgent action to improve security in farming communities, reduce the cost of agricultural inputs, expand access to finance for farmers, and strengthen climate adaptation and food supply chains ahead of 2026.