The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today issued a stark warning that funding shortfalls have forced the agency to drastically reduce life-saving assistance in Northeast Nigeria, leaving 1.2 million people at heightened risk of hunger and malnutrition.
According to the latest Cadre Harmonisé analysis – West Africa’s equivalent of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) – food insecurity in several northern states has deteriorated sharply. Levels of malnutrition have shifted from serious to critical, underscoring the urgent need for renewed support.
1.2 million people in Northeast Nigeria are now deeper into hunger due to aid cuts. Over 300,000 children lost access to essential nutrition programmes in 2025.
WFP expects to reach only 72,000 people in February 2026, compared to 1.3 million assisted during the 2025 lean season. Conflict, displacement, and economic strain compound the crisis, leaving communities increasingly vulnerable.
“Funding shortfalls have forced us to make impossible choices,” said a WFP spokesperson. “We are cutting back nutrition programmes at a time when children and families need them most. Without urgent action, the situation risks sliding toward famine.”
The agency stressed that humanitarian financing is at its lowest in nearly a decade, leaving gaps in food distribution, nutrition support, and resilience building programmes.
The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization fighting hunger worldwide. In Nigeria, WFP works alongside government and partners to deliver food, nutrition, and livelihood support to vulnerable communities affected by conflict and climate shocks.