CJAN Calls for Youth Empowerment in Agriculture to Secure Nigeria's Food Future

Strategic Insights -

As the world marked World Food Day 2025, The Corpers Journey Advocacy Network (CJAN) sounded the alarm over worsening hunger and malnutrition in Nigeria, citing dire projections by the FAO and WFP. Over 30.6 million Nigerians face acute food and nutrition insecurity during the 2025 lean season, while the agricultural sector suffers from poor youth participation despite employing about 30 percent of Nigeria's workforce. CJAN has urged the Federal Government to prioritize youth empowerment and innovation in agriculture, proposing the establishment of Youth Agripreneurship Hubs across the country.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Corpers Journey Advocacy Network (CJAN) has called on the Federal Government to prioritize youth empowerment and innovation in agriculture to strengthen Nigeria's food security system.
  • More than 30.6 million Nigerians could face acute food and nutrition insecurity during the 2025 lean season, according to recent projections by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).
  • The agricultural sector, which employs about 30 percent of Nigeria's workforce (approximately 25 million people), suffers from poor youth participation, with Nigeria's youth unemployment rate standing at 6.5 percent.
  • CJAN proposes the establishment of Youth Agripreneurship Hubs across the six geopolitical zones, providing training, cooperative farming opportunities, access to credit, and digital tools for thousands of graduates annually.
  • Over 1.2 million Nigerians are projected to experience Emergency-level hunger (CH Phase 4) in 2025, almost double the figure recorded in 2024, according to FAO and WFP statistics.
  • 5.4 million children and 800,000 pregnant or breastfeeding women are at risk of acute malnutrition, with 1.8 million expected to face severe cases.
  • Nigeria's annual food import bill is estimated at $4.7 billion, which would continue to increase without strategic investment in youth-driven agriculture.
  • Empowering one young farmer today secures food for hundreds tomorrow, and mobilizing Nigeria's youth, modernizing agriculture, and ensuring every community can feed itself sustainably is critical to ending hunger.

Statistics:

  • Over 30.6 million Nigerians face acute food and nutrition insecurity during the 2025 lean season.
  • The agricultural sector employs about 25 million people, approximately 30 percent of Nigeria's workforce.
  • Nigeria's youth unemployment rate stands at 6.5 percent.
  • Over 1.2 million Nigerians are projected to experience Emergency-level hunger (CH Phase 4) in 2025.
  • 5.4 million children and 800,000 pregnant or breastfeeding women are at risk of acute malnutrition.
  • 1.8 million people are expected to face severe acute malnutrition.
  • Nigeria's annual food import bill is estimated at $4.7 billion.

Sources:

  • Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
  • World Food Programme (WFP)
  • International Labour Organization (ILO)
  • The Corpers Journey Advocacy Network (CJAN)