By Fatima Goni
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that it will be forced to suspend its emergency food and nutrition support to approximately 1.3 million people in North-East Nigeria by the end of July due to a severe shortage of funds.
David Stevenson, the WFP Nigeria Country Director, has issued a stark warning about the escalating hunger crisis in Nigeria, stating that nearly 31 million Nigerians face acute hunger—the highest number on record. To sustain its operations through 2025 and continue providing critical assistance, the WFP urgently requires $130 million in funding.
The situation in Nigeria has escalated beyond a mere humanitarian crisis, according to David Stevenson, WFP Nigeria Country Director. Stevenson emphasizes that the growing food insecurity and hunger crisis now pose a significant threat to regional stability.
Without sufficient aid, families in Nigeria’s crisis-hit regions may be forced to make desperate choices, including extremist recruitment, families may be more susceptible to recruitment by extremist groups, exacerbating security concerns.
The WFP’s food stocks have already been exhausted, with the final supplies distributed earlier in July, Stevenson stated, adding that over 150 nutrition clinics in Borno and Yobe states would also shut down, ending support for more than 300,000 children under two.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) reached 1.3 million people in northern Nigeria with life-saving food and nutrition assistance in the first half of 2025. Initially, the agency had planned to support an additional 720,000 people in the coming months. However, due to critical funding shortfalls, WFP is now forced to suspend emergency food aid to 1.3 million people in North-East Nigeria.
Without immediate funding, the World Food Programme’s (WFP) efforts to support vulnerable populations in Nigeria have come to a standstill.
The suspension of humanitarian aid in the Lake Chad Basin comes at a critical time, as rising violence and displacement have already forced 2.3 million people to flee their homes. This dire situation underscores the urgent need for sustained support to address the growing humanitarian crisis in the region.
North-East Nigeria has been plagued by over a decade of violent conflict, primarily driven by insurgent groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The ongoing unrest in North-East Nigeria has had a devastating impact on the region, leading to devastation of livelihoods, leaving many without a stable source of income, limited access to farmland and local markets, exacerbating food insecurity and worsening hunger across the region.
The prolonged conflict has had a disastrous impact on the region, disrupting food systems, closing health facilities, and plunging communities into poverty. As a result, many people have been left with no choice but to rely entirely on humanitarian assistance to survive.
This highlights the urgent need for sustained support and a comprehensive approach to address the root causes of the crisis, including rebuilding infrastructure, promoting economic development, and ensuring access to basic services like healthcare and food.
The 2024 Cadre Harmonisé report paints a grim picture of the region, where large parts are facing severe food shortages. Families are struggling to survive, skipping meals, selling off belongings, or going days without eating. This dire situation highlights the urgent need for humanitarian assistance and comprehensive strategies to address the root causes of food insecurity and alleviate suffering.
The situation is particularly dire in the hardest-hit areas, where people, especially children and pregnant women, are at a high risk of malnutrition or even starvation. These conditions have been classified as crisis or emergency levels, corresponding to IPC Phases three and four under international food security standards.
Security conditions have also made humanitarian access increasingly difficult. Aid workers face attacks, ambushes, and movement restrictions, particularly in remote rural areas.
The ongoing insecurity in the region is severely hampering efforts to alleviate the crisis, as it limits food delivery and hinders agricultural recovery. This has a devastating impact, placing millions of people at risk of extreme hunger and exacerbating the humanitarian situation. The persistence of insecurity is a major obstacle to providing aid and support to those in need, and its effects are being felt across the region.
By Fatima Goni
University of Maiduguri, 400 level
