WFP seeks $89 million to sustain lifesaving food and nutrition support for millions of vulnerable Nigerians facing severe hunger in the country’s conflict-affected northern region.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said worsening insecurity, shrinking humanitarian funding and limited access to affected communities have accelerated the food crisis. The agency warned that urgent financial support is needed over the next six months to prevent conditions from deteriorating further.
Without additional funding, WFP said hunger could intensify, leading to greater displacement and increasing instability across northern Nigeria.
More Than 17 Million Nigerians Face Severe Food Insecurity
According to WFP, the latest Cadre Harmonisé food security assessment shows that more than 17 million people across nine conflict-affected northern states are experiencing crisis, emergency or catastrophic levels of food insecurity.
The agency noted that this represents an increase of nearly two million people compared with the previous assessment.
Borno State remains the hardest-hit area.
WFP said renewed insurgent attacks and reduced humanitarian assistance have left more than three million people in the state facing acute food shortages.
Among them, over 750,000 people are experiencing severe hunger. In addition, more than 10,000 people have reached catastrophic hunger levels, the highest classification of food insecurity.
Although that group represents a small percentage of the affected population, WFP said the figures highlight the growing impact of conflict, displacement and declining humanitarian support.
Conflict and Insecurity Continue to Drive the Crisis
WFP Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Kinday Samba, said the food crisis has expanded beyond areas previously affected by insurgency.
According to him, violence is spreading across wider parts of northern Nigeria and forcing farming communities to abandon their land.
As a result, more families are losing their livelihoods while humanitarian agencies struggle to reach vulnerable populations.
“What concerns us most is how this crisis is expanding,” Mr Samba said.
“For years, insurgent attacks and violence were largely concentrated in parts of northeast Nigeria. Today, they are spreading across a much wider area and forcing people from farmland, driving displacement and restricting humanitarian access, meaning hunger is quick to follow.”
The agency warned that the combination of insecurity and displacement continues to place millions of people at greater risk.
Humanitarian Access Becomes More Difficult
WFP said deteriorating security conditions have made relief operations increasingly challenging.
The organisation reported that the number of locations inaccessible to its frontline workers has doubled.
An additional 15 communities are now classified as partially inaccessible.
The agency also said attacks and illegal checkpoints have disrupted humanitarian cargo moving along major transport routes.
In several locations, WFP’s air transport service remains the only practical option for delivering emergency supplies.
These restrictions have slowed humanitarian operations and increased the cost of reaching isolated communities.
Funding Shortfalls Force WFP to Reduce Food Assistance
Despite the growing humanitarian emergency, WFP said limited funding has forced it to scale back food assistance programmes.
Across the three northeastern states, about 6.2 million people currently require food support.
However, WFP said it has enough resources to assist only around 740,000 people.
That leaves roughly 5.5 million people, many of them children, without access to lifesaving food and nutrition assistance.
The agency noted that this marks a significant decline from the 1.3 million people it supported during the peak of the 2025 lean season.
WFP warned that many households now face difficult choices as food supplies diminish.
According to the organisation, some communities have reported that desperate individuals are joining armed groups in search of food or income.
The agency also expressed concern that funding shortages have forced the suspension of food assistance in some displacement camps.
As a result, reports of exploitation and gender-based violence have increased, particularly among women and children.
“When people lose access to food, the risks of displacement, exploitation and instability increase. Yet resources are at their lowest at the time they are needed most,” Mr Samba said.
The appeal as WFP seeks $89 million highlights the growing urgency of Nigeria’s food security crisis.
With conflict spreading and humanitarian resources shrinking, millions of vulnerable people face worsening hunger unless additional funding arrives quickly.
WFP says immediate international support will help sustain food assistance, protect vulnerable communities and reduce the humanitarian and security risks linked to prolonged food shortages.
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