The United Nations World Food Programme has issued a stark warning about escalating hunger levels in northern Nigeria, directly linking the crisis to resurgent jihadist attacks and widespread instability across the region.
Unprecedented Food Insecurity Looms
According to the UN agency's recent statement, nearly 35 million people in northern Nigeria are projected to face severe food insecurity during the 2026 lean season, which typically runs from May to September. This period between planting and harvest traditionally leaves rural communities with minimal food reserves.
The situation appears most dire in Borno state, the epicenter of Nigeria's 16-year-long jihadist insurgency. Here, approximately 15,000 people are expected to reach catastrophic hunger levels, described by officials as "famine-like conditions."
Violence and Kidnappings Intensify Crisis
The conflict has already claimed more than 40,000 lives and displaced around two million people across northeastern Nigeria, with violence spilling into neighboring countries. Beyond the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast, Nigeria also contends with rampant violence from criminal "bandit" gangs in central and northwestern regions.
These groups regularly raid villages, kill civilians, and conduct mass kidnappings for ransom. Just last week, Africa's most populous nation witnessed three major abduction incidents:
- Over 300 students and teachers taken from a Catholic school in Niger state
- 25 Muslim high school girls abducted in neighboring Kebbi state
- 38 worshippers kidnapped during a livestreamed church service in Kwara State
Although Nigeria's insurgency had slowed since its peak around 2015, attacks have significantly increased since the beginning of this year due to multiple factors that have strengthened jihadist groups while stretching security forces thin.
Economic Crisis and Funding Cuts Worsen Situation
The hunger crisis compounds Nigeria's existing economic troubles. Normally, farmers would purchase food during lean seasons, but double-digit inflation driven by the country's economic crisis has made this impossible for many families.
Compounding the problem, the WFP faces significant funding shortfalls. The United States, under President Donald Trump, has cut foreign aid including support for UN agencies. Other major donors, including several European nations, have also reduced their humanitarian budgets.
These cuts have forced the WFP to scale down nutrition programs since July. Of the 500 nutrition centers the agency operates in northeast Nigeria, 150 closed at the end of July due to funding shortages. This leaves more than 300,000 children at risk and has driven malnutrition levels from "serious" to "critical" in the year's third quarter.
David Stevenson, WFP's representative in Nigeria, emphasized the severity of the situation: "Communities are under severe pressure from repeated attacks and economic stress. Families are being pushed closer to the edge, and the need for support is rising."
The West African nation currently struggles with a crippling economic crisis as President Bola Tinubu implements reforms praised by the IMF but blamed for spiking living costs. Meanwhile, jihadist attacks have intensified, with the Al-Qaeda affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) claiming responsibility for its first attack in Nigeria late last month.
