Maiduguri, Nigeria (Running Africa) — The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has warned that northern Nigeria is on the brink of its worst hunger crisis in nearly a decade, citing escalating conflict and declining humanitarian funding as millions face severe food insecurity.
In a statement released on July 3, 2026, the WFP said more than 17 million people across nine conflict-affected states are experiencing crisis, emergency or catastrophic levels of hunger, raising fears of a worsening humanitarian emergency if additional support is not secured.
Nigeria has been battling a jihadist insurgency since 2009, with violence intensifying again since 2025. While the conflict initially centered in the northeast, insecurity has increasingly spread into the country’s northwest, where heavily armed bandit groups continue to attack communities, displace civilians and disrupt livelihoods.
According to the WFP, the deteriorating security situation is forcing thousands of families from their homes, preventing farmers from cultivating their land and severely restricting humanitarian organizations from reaching vulnerable populations.
The agency said aid operations have become increasingly difficult, with the number of communities inaccessible to WFP staff doubling in recent months. Attacks on major transport routes and the proliferation of illegal checkpoints have further complicated the delivery of food and emergency supplies.
The humanitarian crisis has been compounded by significant reductions in international assistance, particularly following funding cuts from the United States and other Western donors. As a result, food aid has been scaled back, leaving many displaced families surviving on just one meal a day or enduring several days without food.
To prevent conditions from deteriorating further, the WFP is seeking $89 million over the next six months to sustain life-saving food and nutrition program across northern Nigeria.
The agency warned that without urgent international support, millions of vulnerable people, including women and children, could face even greater levels of hunger as conflict, displacement and funding shortfalls continue to strain one of Africa’s largest humanitarian crises.
