Nigerian students seek FG’s sustainable food intervention on campuses

Nigerian students in tertiary institutions have called out on the federal government to put in place sustainable initiatives to curb the surging ‘food crisis’ on campuses, as many cannot learn on empty stomachs.

According to the Borgen Project, an ally for the world’s poor, “Hunger is a major issue in Nigeria, affecting millions of people. The country faces a food security crisis due to poverty, climate change, conflict, and economic instability.”

With a score of 28.8 in the 2024 Global Hunger Index, Nigeria has a level of hunger that is serious, as 18.0 per cent of the population is undernourished, 31.5 per cent of children under five are stunted, and 10.7 per cent of Nigerian children die before their fifth birthday.

In the face of this, many students are complaining of the surging cost of food on campus, as the hunger war is becoming more real than ever.

Chidubem Ibeh, a student of Caleb University said the surging cost of food is a threat to learning as many of them cannot learn on an empty stomach.

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“A plate of food on campus is N1,000, and the quantity is such that ordinarily one would have to order two plates to feel satisfied. In a day, I spend between N4,000 to N6,000 on food.

“To worsen the situation, we’re not allowed to cook in our hostels, which simply means you must buy food to feed, throwing the students at the mercy of food vendors,” he said.

Ibeh said that with the rising cost of living and many students struggling to afford basic meals, there is a need for the federal government to put in place measures to cushion the financial strain this is causing on students.

According to JAMB.com report, which states that Nigerian students struggling to afford food amid economic hardship, the student leaders are pleading for help to address the unpleasant situation.

Morakinyo Sola, the 44th president of the Yaba College of Technology Students Union Government (SUG), has pleaded for government intervention, highlighting the severe hardship many students face. Speaking at the “Feed YABATECH Students Initiative,” Sola revealed that a significant number of students are financially incapacitated and go to bed hungry.

“The government has put initiatives like NELFUND in place, but hunger remains a major issue.

“Students need assurance that at least once in a while, they can get food assistance to survive,” Sola said.

The student-led initiative aimed at fighting hunger on campus saw thousands of students receiving food packs, meal vouchers, and financial aid to ease their struggles.

Students in tertiary institutions across Nigeria are feeling the same pain as food prices continue to skyrocket.

Kingsley Alozie, a 100-level student of UNIZIK said he spends not less than N3,000 on feed every day.

“My feeding expenditure every day is in the range of N3,000 to N6,000.

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“When I resumed school this year, I could comfortably eat one plate of beans for N600, or a plate of rice with meat and salad for N700 or N800, but now, everything has gone up,” he said.

Jude Okoye lamented his ordeal coping with the rising cost of living on campus.

“For the cost of things, only food is N3,000 daily, that’s if I manage myself. It’s not easy for most of us especially people like me that don’t have sponsors.

“It’s really affecting my finances, easy to leave but hard to get, talking about money,” he said.

Another student said that on campus at UNIZIK, he buys a plate of rice with N1,700, and he drinks nutrimilk, he would be made to pay N2,200.

“Although, this morning, I came from my parents’ house, if not I would have spent N2,000 for my dinner.

“On a day that I leave the house without eating, I would buy ‘Okpa’ and a soft drink for N1, 000, in the afternoon, I will eat rice at N1,200, while in the evening I would take snacks if I did not go home,” he said.

Kazeem Alarape, a student at the University of Lagos described the high cost of living on campus as regrettable.

“We’re paying N15,000 monthly per student as our electric bill, which is outside the house rent and other concomitant costs. On the feeding aspect, the price varies according to what one may want to eat at the time.

But the truth is that the prices of things here are throat-cutting,” he said.

Alarape said he spends more N2, 000 if he wants to eat a decent meal per time, something that he used to buy at N800.

As food insecurity becomes a growing crisis for Nigerian students, student leaders, activists, and humanitarian organisations are urging the federal government to establish structured food aid programmes in tertiary institutions.