Peter Obi: Why I argued that Ukraine’s food donation to Nigeria is a shame

Mr. Obi argues that the situation is truly saddening and emphasizes that Nigeria had the necessary resources to overtake Ukraine in the production of grains.

Regarding Reno Omokri’s comparison of Egypt, the former governor of Anambra noted that, over the years, Egypt has imported 60% of its wheat, with roughly 22% coming from Ukraine.

“Some government spinners in defense tried throwing up a comparison pointing at Egypt, which also got grain from Ukraine,” Obi said in response to my remarks about the embarrassing grain assistance that Nigeria received from a war-torn Ukraine.


“As a country with more fertile lands and a working population, we now receive aid from a war-ravaged nation like Ukraine,” I said in my remarks, despite the fact that such an offer is intended to lessen the impact of the food crisis in Nigeria.

The spinners specifically mentioned that Egypt still relies on Ukraine for a large portion of its wheat supplies and that it received the same grains from Ukraine well before Nigeria did (in September of last year).


It is crucial to make clear that, over the years, Egypt has imported 60% of its grain, with roughly 22% coming from Ukraine.


Therefore, Egypt only benefits from a business relationship with Ukraine, its grain supplier, whereas Nigeria received an emergency donation to aid in the fight against a hunger epidemic brought on by mismanaged economies.

To further highlight the point, out of 125 countries, Egypt is ranked 57th on the Global Hunger Index, while our beloved country is ranked 109th.


Therefore, Nigeria is among the 20 nations with the highest levels of hunger in the world, with a hunger level deemed serious, while Egypt has a hunger level that is deemed moderate.

Egypt sold more than nine billion dollars’ worth of agricultural products in 2023, despite not being among the world’s most hungry countries or experiencing extreme famine.


“May I also point out that our grains donor, Ukraine, still maintains a hunger level considered low, with a ranking of 44th on the global hunger index, 7th highest grain producer, exporting almost 23 Billion Dollars, despite years of war!