The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that Nigeria’s food security crisis is worsening rapidly, driven by escalating conflict and shrinking humanitarian assistance across northern regions, particularly in the northeast.
A recent Cadre Harmonisé analysis shows that more than 17 million people across nine conflict-affected states are now facing crisis, emergency, or catastrophic levels of food insecurity. This represents an increase of nearly two million people compared to previous projections, highlighting the rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation.
In Borno State, one of the hardest-hit areas, over 3 million people are currently acutely food insecure. Among them, more than 750,000 people are experiencing severe hunger, while over 10,000 individuals are in catastrophic conditions. Although this group is relatively small, it signals an alarming escalation in extreme hunger linked to ongoing violence, displacement, and restricted access to aid.
WFP officials report that insecurity is expanding beyond traditional hotspots, with attacks spreading into new areas and forcing communities away from farmland. This displacement is further reducing food production and limiting humanitarian access to vulnerable populations.
At the same time, funding shortfalls are significantly reducing the scale of aid operations. While around 6.2 million people in three northeastern states require assistance, the WFP is currently able to support only 740,000 people, leaving millions without reliable access to food and nutrition support. This marks a sharp decline from the peak assistance levels during the 2025 lean season.
Humanitarian agencies also report increasing logistical challenges, including restricted road access due to attacks and checkpoints, as well as growing reliance on costly air transport in some areas. These constraints are making it harder to deliver food supplies consistently to affected communities.
The WFP has raised serious concerns that the reduction in food assistance is pushing vulnerable populations toward negative coping strategies, including displacement, exploitation, and, in some cases, recruitment into armed groups as families struggle to survive.
The agency has called for urgent funding of USD 89 million over the next six months to maintain food and nutrition programmes and sustain essential logistics operations across northern Nigeria. Without additional support, WFP warns that hunger, displacement, and instability could intensify further across the region.
