Millions of vulnerable Nigerians, particularly in conflict-affected northern regions, could face worsening hunger in the coming weeks as the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warns of an imminent reduction in food assistance due to a critical funding shortfall.
The humanitarian agency disclosed that more than one million people in northeast Nigeria may be cut off from emergency food and nutrition support if urgent funding is not secured. For the first time since large-scale operations began over a decade ago, WFP said it may be forced to scale down its reach to about 72,000 beneficiaries.
Nigeria’s food security situation has steadily deteriorated due to armed conflict, climate shocks, economic pressures and widespread displacement. Recent assessments project that nearly 35 million Nigerians could experience acute hunger during the 2026 lean season, with the North-East and North-West expected to bear the heaviest burden.
Borno State, at the centre of insurgency-related violence since 2009, remains among the hardest hit. Humanitarian data indicate that thousands are facing extreme food deprivation, with aid agencies warning that conditions are edging dangerously close to famine. Similar warning signs were last seen during the height of the Boko Haram crisis between 2016 and 2017, when international intervention helped avert mass starvation.
WFP officials cautioned that reducing food aid at this stage could trigger broader humanitarian and security consequences. Past experience shows that food shortages often fuel secondary displacement as families leave camps and host communities in search of survival. Prolonged hunger, they added, can also increase the risk of youth recruitment into criminal or extremist groups.
Since 2015, WFP has been central to Nigeria’s humanitarian response, delivering life-saving assistance to displaced persons and host communities while supporting local farmers through the purchase of domestically produced food. These interventions have helped stabilise fragile communities and reduce long-term dependence on aid.
However, renewed violence across several northern states has reversed many of these gains. Recent attacks on rural communities have disrupted farming cycles, depleted household food reserves and forced millions from their homes. Health workers have also reported rising cases of child malnutrition, especially in hard-to-reach areas with limited access to healthcare and clean water.
With current funds now exhausted, WFP says it urgently requires substantial financial support to sustain operations over the next six months. Without immediate intervention, the organisation warns it may be unable to continue food distributions in displacement camps and conflict-affected communities.
Humanitarian experts stress that food assistance remains a critical stabilising force in northern Nigeria. As the country approaches another lean season amid persistent insecurity, aid agencies warn that failure to act swiftly could deepen the crisis and push millions further into hunger and poverty.
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
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