Abuja, Nigeria – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has sounded the alarm over what it describes as “an unprecedented hunger crisis” engulfing Nigeria, with nearly 31 million people facing acute food insecurity amid dwindling humanitarian funding and mounting economic hardship.
Speaking via video from Niger during a UN press conference on Wednesday, Margot van der Velden, the WFP’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, painted a grim picture of rising food needs across the region as global aid budgets shrink. “The number of people in Nigeria needing life-saving food assistance is equivalent to the entire population of Texas going hungry,” she emphasized.
The crisis, according to the WFP, is being driven by a perfect storm of conflict, inflation, currency depreciation, and severe funding shortfalls. The situation is especially critical in northeastern Nigeria, where the Islamic insurgency led by Boko Haram and ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) has displaced millions over the past decade.
Humanitarian Aid Suspension Looms
Van der Velden issued a sobering warning: starting in August, WFP will likely be forced to suspend humanitarian assistance in several crisis-hit areas due to lack of funds. “We will face the heartbreaking reality of having to suspend aid for populations in areas devastated by conflict,” she said.
The implications are dire. Over 1.3 million people in Nigeria stand to lose access to essential food and nutritional support. In Borno State, the epicenter of the insurgency, 150 nutrition clinics may be forced to shut down. This would leave 300,000 children at risk of severe malnutrition, while nearly 700,000 displaced persons—many already living in makeshift camps—“will be left with no means of survival,” the WFP warned.
Impact of Foreign Aid Cuts
A significant factor in the growing crisis has been the drastic reduction in U.S. and Western humanitarian aid, particularly from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). For years, USAID served as the backbone of humanitarian relief efforts in northeastern Nigeria, supporting NGOs in delivering food, health care, and emergency shelter.
However, under the Trump administration, USAID suffered massive cuts and restructuring. Former officials in that administration accused the agency of mismanagement and pursuing a “liberal agenda,” leading to the dismantling of key foreign assistance programs. Other major Western donors also followed suit, slashing their international development budgets in the face of competing domestic priorities and economic strain.
As a result, the WFP has seen a 60% drop in food assistance across West and Central Africa, now reaching only 5 million people, a fraction of those in need.
Nigeria’s Appeal Severely Underfunded
According to the WFP’s latest data, its $130 million appeal for emergency relief in Nigeria for 2025 has only been 21% funded. This leaves a staggering gap in resources needed to meet even the most urgent needs. Van der Velden stressed that the shortfall threatens not just survival, but also the stability of entire communities.
“When there is no food aid, hunger deepens and tensions rise,” she said. “Communities fracture and the risk of instability increases, making it more difficult to maintain peace and resilience in the region.”
Regional Crisis: Mali, Niger, Cameroon Also at Risk
While Nigeria bears the brunt of the crisis due to its size and population, van der Velden stressed that the hunger emergency stretches far beyond its borders. WFP is facing critical shortfalls in countries like Mali, Niger, Mauritania, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic, many of which are grappling with conflict, poverty, and displacement.
In Mali and Niger, for instance, emergency food assistance has been slashed by over 80%, threatening to reverse gains made in humanitarian stabilization efforts.
The funding appeals for other countries in the region remain drastically under-supported:
- Cameroon: $65.1 million appeal, only 19% funded
- Mauritania: $35.8 million appeal, 39% funded
- Central African Republic: $29.7 million appeal, 49% funded
- Mali: $33.2 million appeal, 57% funded
- Niger: $21.4 million appeal, 74% funded
These shortfalls come at a time when food prices across West Africa have skyrocketed due to global inflation, supply chain disruptions, local conflict, and climate-induced shocks such as droughts and floods.
Underlying Drivers: Food Stocks Depleted, Prices Rising
In Nigeria specifically, the WFP identified several key drivers of the hunger crisis. Many families have completely depleted their food stocks, while food prices continue to soar, eroding household purchasing power. At the same time, currency depreciation—the Nigerian naira has hit historic lows against the dollar—has made imported food unaffordable for many.
Coupled with the ongoing insurgency in the northeast, these economic challenges have left millions trapped in cycles of hunger and dependence on humanitarian support.
Urgent Call for Global Solidarity
Van der Velden closed her remarks with an urgent appeal to the international community. “We need immediate action. We need urgent resources,” she said. “Without significant new funding, the lives of millions in Nigeria and across the region are at risk.”
The WFP has called on governments, philanthropies, and private sector partners to step in and fill the funding gap to prevent mass starvation, especially among vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, and the elderly.
As Africa’s most populous country and largest economy, Nigeria’s hunger crisis could have wide-ranging geopolitical consequences if left unchecked. Experts warn that hunger and instability often go hand in hand, particularly in regions where extremism and poverty already co-exist.
