The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has suspended a planned three-day prayer and fasting programme that was intended to seek divine intervention for Nigeria’s escalating food security challenges, just days before its scheduled commencement.
An internal memo dated June 11, 2025, had directed ministry staff to participate in prayer sessions on June 16, 23, and 30, but the initiative was called off without explanation following media scrutiny.
The original circular, signed by Director of Human Resource Management Mrs. Adedayo Modupe, had invited all ministry personnel to participate in what was described as a “solemn prayer session for God’s guidance and success” in supporting the government’s food security efforts.
“This is to invite all Staff of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to a solemn prayer session for God’s guidance and success in supporting the Government’s efforts to achieve food security,” the memo stated. The sessions were themed “Divine Intervention for Protection and National Development” and scheduled for 12:00 p.m. in Conference Hall B at the ministry’s Abuja headquarters.
However, when contacted by journalists on Friday, Acting Director of Information Ezeaja Ikemefuna confirmed the suspension. “I am directed to inform all staff that the prayer sessions scheduled to commence on Monday have been postponed till further notice. All staff should kindly take note,” he said, though no reason was provided for the reversal.
The spiritual approach to addressing Nigeria’s food crisis comes as international organizations paint an increasingly grim picture of the country’s food security situation. The World Food Programme (WFP) has projected that 33.1 million Nigerians will face food insecurity by 2025, with emergency-level cases expected to surge by 80%.
“Although no populations are classified as Catastrophe (Phase 5), those in Emergency (Phase 4) are expected to increase significantly,” the WFP warned in its latest assessment. The organization noted that the number of people experiencing emergency levels of food insecurity could rise from one million in 2024 to 1.8 million in 2025.
The crisis is particularly acute in Nigeria’s Northeast, where persistent insecurity has made farming virtually impossible in many communities. WFP Country Director David Stevenson emphasized the connection between security and food production.
“Restoring peace in the northeast is critical for us to build pathways to production and achieve the northeast’s potential as the food basket of the country,” Stevenson stated.
The situation extends beyond immediate hunger concerns to encompass a broader malnutrition emergency. According to international aid organizations, 5.4 million children and 800,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are at risk across six states, including Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara in the Northwest.
The statistics reveal that 1.8 million children could suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), requiring immediate medical intervention. UNICEF Country Representative Cristian Munduate highlighted the long-term implications of the crisis.
“Children are at the centre of the food insecurity crisis and face irreversible consequences – both physical and cognitive, and potentially even death,” Munduate warned. “It is our moral imperative to ensure that the right of every child to adequate food and nutrition is upheld.”
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has also expressed commitment to addressing the crisis through sustainable solutions. The agency’s representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Dominique Koffy Kouacou, confirmed FAO’s dedication to long-term interventions in the country’s agricultural sector.
The cancelled prayer initiative reflects the growing pressure on the Tinubu administration to address Nigeria’s food security challenges through concrete policy measures rather than spiritual appeals. With millions of Nigerians facing potential starvation, stakeholders continue to call for immediate and practical government action to avert what experts describe as an impending humanitarian catastrophe.
