Hunger Crisis Deepens in Northern Nigeria Amidst Violence and Fund Cuts

Over 17 million people in northern Nigeria are at risk of severe hunger due to escalating violence and funding shortfalls, the UN food agency reports. The situation is worsening in Borno state, with over 3 million acutely food insecure. WFP seeks $89 million to support affected regions.

Over 17 million people across nine states in northern Nigeria are facing severe hunger as ongoing violence and funding cuts push food insecurity to critical levels, the United Nations food agency revealed on Thursday.

According to the World Food Programme (WFP), the number of individuals experiencing crisis or catastrophic hunger has surged by nearly two million from previous estimates. This situation underscores the growing humanitarian crisis driven by Islamist insurgents and armed gangs displacing communities and obstructing access to aid.

In Borno state, a hotspot for Islamist insurgency, over 3 million people are acutely food insecure, with more than 750,000 enduring severe hunger. The WFP has warned that without access to food, the risks of displacement and exploitation soar. The agency is seeking $89 million to sustain its aid efforts over the next six months.