Aid cuts causing extreme hunger in Nigeria’s northeast — UN Warns

 

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a stark warning: Nigeria's northeast region is facing its worst hunger crisis in nearly a decade, driven by sharp cuts in humanitarian aid that are deepening malnutrition and pushing vulnerable communities toward catastrophic food shortages.

This alert, reported widely on January 16, 2026, highlights how funding shortfalls in 2025 forced the WFP to scale back critical nutrition programs, affecting over 300,000 children. The agency had previously cautioned that resources could run out by December 2025, potentially leaving millions without support.

Key details from the WFP statement include:

Thousands of people in the conflict-affected northeast (primarily Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states) now risk catastrophic hunger (IPC Phase 5) for the first time in almost 10 years.

Around 15,000 people in Borno State are at immediate risk of famine-like conditions amid ongoing militant unrest.

Aid reductions have exacerbated existing drivers of hunger, such as prolonged conflict, displacement (over 2 million people affected), economic pressures, and climate shocks.

Across West and Central Africa, 55 million people face severe food shortages, with Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger accounting for over three-quarters of those in crisis.

More than 13 million children in the broader region are projected to suffer malnutrition in the coming year.

WFP Deputy Regional Director Sarah Longford emphasized: “The reduced funding we saw in 2025 has deepened hunger and malnutrition across the region.” The agency now requires over $453 million in the next six months to sustain assistance.

These cuts stem partly from global shifts, including reduced contributions from major donors like the United States (under "America First" policies) and others redirecting budgets toward defense spending.

Here are powerful images illustrating the human impact of aid disruptions and food distributions in the northeast:

This photo from August 2025 shows beneficiaries from Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps lining up for support at a WFP distribution center in Dikwa, Borno State, following the exit of USAID funding.

Another view of vulnerable families waiting in line for essential aid in the same region, highlighting the scale of need amid reduced humanitarian support.

The crisis underscores the urgent need for renewed international funding to prevent further deterioration. Without immediate action, millions more could face impossible choices between hunger, migration, or heightened vulnerability to exploitation.