Niger crisis will put pressure on Nigeria food market — W’Bank

The coup d’état in Niger may put additional pressure on Nigeria and other West African nations’ food markets, the World Bank has said.

According to the global bank, the Nigerien coup d’état puts an additional seven million people at risk of falling into severe food insecurity in the region against a backdrop of soaring commodity and staple food prices, and severe food insecurity already affecting 3.3 million people during the lean season.

The bank stated this in its September ‘Food Security Update.” It said, “The coup d’état in Niger might put additional pressure on West African food markets.”

While describing the implication of economic and financial sanctions the Economic Community of West African States and the West African Economic and Monetary Union imposed on the country, the Washington-based bank stated that food prices increased by up to 21 per cent in August in Niger.

It noted that this limited poor households’ access to food…