Key facts
- Over 17 million people in nine conflict-hit states in northern Nigeria face severe hunger.
- Food insecurity in northern Nigeria is at its worst level in nearly a decade.
- The number of people facing crisis, emergency, or catastrophic hunger has increased by almost two million.
- Violence from Islamist insurgents and armed gangs is a primary driver of the crisis.
- Borno state has over 3 million food insecure, including more than 750,000 facing severe hunger.
- The World Food Programme requires $89 million for food, nutrition, and logistics support over the next six months.
More than 17 million people across nine conflict-affected states in northern Nigeria are facing severe hunger, reaching levels not seen in nearly a decade, according to the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP). The agency warned that escalating violence and reduced funding are exacerbating the food insecurity crisis.
The latest analysis indicates a nearly two million increase in the number of people experiencing crisis, emergency, or catastrophic hunger compared to previous projections. This deepening humanitarian cost is attributed to ongoing insecurity, including Islamist insurgencies in the northeast and activities of armed gangs in other northern regions, which have displaced communities, prevented farmers from accessing their land, and limited humanitarian aid.
The crisis is particularly acute during the lean season, a period when households typically deplete their food reserves before the next harvest. Borno state, the epicenter of the long-standing Islamist insurgency, is severely impacted, with over 3 million people facing acute food insecurity, including more than 750,000 experiencing severe hunger conditions.
Kinday Samba, WFP regional director for West and Central Africa, highlighted that loss of access to food increases risks of displacement, exploitation, and instability, noting the spread of violence across wider areas. The WFP stated it can only support fewer than half of the 1.3 million people it assisted last year in three northeastern states, where 6.2 million people are currently food insecure. The agency is seeking $89 million over the next six months to sustain its food, nutrition, and logistics support in northern Nigeria.