Index to Nigerian Newspapers

Families in Nigeria are passing through difficult times as the cost of staple food is increasingly becoming unbearable, Daily Trust reports. Findings at various markets across the country show that prices of rice, beans, garri, flour and sugar, among others, are rising almost on a weekly basis. While breadwinners are seeking government’s help; traders are lamenting that the inflation rate is fast eroding their capital base. The latest inflation figure was 24.08 per cent in July 2023, the highest since September 2005. A March report by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) showed that nearly 25 million Nigerians were at risk of hunger between June and August unless urgent actions are taken. FAO identified continued conflict, climate change, inflation and rising food prices as key drivers of the trend. It said, “Of the 17 million people who are currently food insecure, 3 million are in the north-east Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. “Without immediate action, this figure is expected to increase to 4.4 million in the lean season. This includes highly vulnerable displaced populations and returnees who are already struggling to survive a large-scale humanitarian crisis in which 8.3 million people need assistance.”  Available records showed that by mid-February to the end of July, prices of maize, beans and rice from three-grain markets of Dawanau, Dandume and Kumo in Kano, Katsina and Gombe states as well as Abuja had on average doubled, especially maize; while beans and rice added N10,000 and N20,000 respectively.