By Diet9ja News Staff — November 2025
Food and diet crises, as well as global conflicts, pose a threat to food security in 2025. As talk of military tension and global posturing rises, a quieter but deadlier threat looms over Nigeria: hunger. Experts warn that even the hint of international conflict, especially involving major powers, could deepen the country’s food crisis and push millions into severe diet insecurity.
A Food and Diet Crisis in Waiting
While diplomatic statements dominate headlines, the reality for most Nigerians is measured not in speeches, but in prices.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), food inflation remains high at 16.87% year-on-year, and staple costs are squeezing household budgets. A 50kg bag of rice now costs more than many families earn in a week.
When foreign policy tensions escalate, these costs often surge further. In a globalized food economy, even distant wars can send shockwaves into African markets.
“Any talk of conflict between Nigeria and global powers should not be taken lightly,” warns a West African food policy analyst. “The fallout is rarely political; it’s nutritional. It hits the plate first.”
Lessons from Other Conflicts
The Russia–Ukraine war offers a clear warning. Within months of the invasion, global wheat and fertilizer prices soared, triggering food shortages from Egypt to Ethiopia. Nigeria, which imports both wheat and fertilizer, felt the ripple effect almost immediately.
Similarly, the Gaza conflict has disrupted regional trade routes, adding further stress to African grain imports.
In Sudan, war has devastated farming and forced millions into displacement, creating what the United Nations calls “one of the world’s fastest-growing hunger emergencies.”
If geopolitical confrontation were ever to spill into West Africa, analysts say the consequences could be even more severe. With 70% of Nigeria’s smallholder farmers already operating in fragile environments, any external shock could collapse local supply chains and food markets overnight.
When Trade Turns to Scarcity
Global conflicts often disrupt trade corridors, delay shipments, and spike transport costs, all of which lead to food scarcity. For a country that heavily relies on imports for staples like wheat, sugar, and processed foods, such a disruption could quickly translate into widespread hunger.
Economic data shows that Nigeria imports more than $10 billion worth of food annually. A cut or slowdown in those imports, due to sanctions, trade restrictions, or shipping risks, would immediately affect affordability and access.
The Human Cost of Geopolitics
While the world debates power, ordinary Nigerians are already on the frontlines of a “diet war.” Each surge in global prices means fewer meals, less protein, and growing malnutrition. The FAO estimates that more than 25 million Nigerians are at risk of acute food insecurity in the coming months.
Children and women remain most vulnerable. Malnutrition is already responsible for nearly 45% of child deaths in the country, according to UNICEF.
“Food insecurity is no longer a silent crisis; it’s a loud warning,” said a public health expert in Abuja. “Conflict anywhere can mean hunger everywhere.”
A Call for Calm and Cooperation
With talk of foreign intervention and political tension circulating, voices from civil society are urging calm and focus. Experts say Nigeria must not be drawn into external hostilities or inflammatory rhetoric that could trigger economic panic or disrupt supply chains.
Instead, the priority should be food security diplomacy, strengthening international partnerships, protecting agricultural trade routes, and investing in local production to cushion against global shocks.
The Real War Is on the Plate
In an age where food is both a fundamental right and a political tool, the true battleground lies in diets, not borders.
If hunger continues to grow unchecked, it could destabilize communities faster than any external conflict.
For Nigeria, the message is clear: calm is not weakness, it is wisdom. Feeding the people must come before feeding fear. Because in every war, spoken or silent, it’s always the poorest who go hungry first.