Northern Nigeria Hunger Crisis Hits Worst Level in Nearly 10 Years – UN

More than 17 million people across nine conflict-affected states in northern Nigeria are facing severe hunger, marking the worst food security crisis in the region in nearly a decade, according to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

The WFP said the number of people experiencing crisis, emergency, or catastrophic hunger has increased by nearly two million compared to earlier projections. The agency attributed the worsening situation to ongoing insurgency, armed violence, and major cuts in humanitarian funding.

In Borno State, the epicentre of Nigeria's long-running insurgency, more than 3 million people are suffering acute food shortages, with over 750,000 facing the most severe levels of hunger. The WFP warned that some communities have already reached Phase 5 of the international hunger classification system—the highest and most critical level.

The agency said insecurity has prevented many farmers from accessing their land, while shrinking humanitarian assistance has forced the WFP to reduce food support. This year, it expects to assist fewer than half of the 1.3 million people it reached in 2025 across the three northeastern states.

The worsening crisis has also forced some Nigerians to flee into neighbouring Benin, where more than 1,000 refugees received emergency assistance last month.

The WFP is seeking $89 million over the next six months to sustain food aid, nutrition services, and logistics support across northern Nigeria, warning that without urgent funding, millions of vulnerable people could face even greater hardship.

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