The rate of hunger in oil rich African States specifically Nigeria is becoming so alarming despite the huge wealth generated over the years. There seemed to be a mismatch between government policies, rising population and food security. The prices of food items have been rising since 2000, triples in 2008 and reached unbearable limit in 2023 and 2024. Food scarcity is a significant problem to the masses whose capacity to buy food is hindered by poor wages and food marketing cartels that control the force of food demand and supply. On the other hand, peasant farmers have lost interest in farming because of unfavourable conditions like high cost of farm input, human invaders, microbial invaders as well as pest. The issue of hunger has attracted palliative from federal government, private donors and international agencies. Policy analysts are dissatisfied with the notion of palliative-hunger alleviation strategy being that it acts as a first aid treatment rather than a cure. The study adopted both primary and secondary data primarily using CBN bulletin, online materials and interview. Key informant interview was carried out using officials from NIMETS, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Power and Energy, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. Sixty (60) interviewees were purposively selected and the criteria was based on their depth of knowledge in their various fields of endeavour. The study delves into understanding how hunger became a chronic ailment in an oil rich Sub-Saharan African giant. In the study, historical framework of hunger was established, the reasons for persistent hunger despite intervention as well as key hunger alleviation programmes were discussed. It was revealed that several factors are responsible for hunger ranging from climate, environmental hazard, unsuitable policies, high electricity tariff and petrol prices, exchange rate fluctuation, global oil price shock, insecurity, poor social welfare structure, low motivation to farming, over-riding number of consumers than producers and government commitment to food production and value-added services. In the study, food crises in Nigeria began from the 21st century precisely year 2000 when the price of petrol, exchange rate and global oil price rose uncontrollable and peaked between 2023 and 2024 resulting to series of hunger protest and strike across different labour unions in the country. Given this, it was recommended that holistic, people-centred and multi-sectorial approach to hunger reduction be employed against the conventional methods characterised by imposition of failing policies for the masses.