A dramatic reduction in funding has forced the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to scale back its hunger intervention in Nigeria from 1.3 million people during the 2025 lean season to just 72,000 in February 2026.
The figures show a stark indicator of deepening humanitarian strains across the country and the wider West and Central Africa region.
From a Lifeline to a Lifeline in Danger
For years, WFP’s programmes have provided a crucial safety net for the most vulnerable Nigerians, particularly in conflict-affected northern states where insecurity, displacement and poverty disrupt food systems.
But severe funding shortfalls are now eroding that lifeline just as needs are surging.
This retreat comes at a time when nearly 35 million Nigerians face acute food insecurity, driven by conflict, rising food prices and climate shocks, with millions in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states among the hardest hit.
Experts warn that when humanitarian assistance contracts sharply, the effects ripple far beyond immediate hunger:
- Health and nutrition downturns: In 2025, funding gaps already forced WFP to scale down nutrition support for over 300,000 children, contributing to worsening malnutrition in several northern states.
- Community vulnerability: Reduced assistance risks pushing families into desperate coping mechanisms, such as selling productive assets or skipping meals, which undermine long-term resilience.
- Stability and security pressures: Hunger often amplifies social tensions. As food insecurity deepens, there is a heightened risk of instability, displacement and local conflict, especially in regions already contending with militant activity and displacement.
Regional Domino Effects
Nigeria’s situation reflects a broader regional pattern: across West and Central Africa some 55 million people are projected to face crisis or worse levels of hunger in 2026, driven by reduced donor support and escalating needs.
Without urgent funding, millions more could be excluded from life-saving assistance. In neighbouring countries like Cameroon, vulnerable populations may soon be cut off from support, further stretching already fragile coping mechanisms.
The Larger Funding Dilemma
WFP says that with adequate international financing, its programmes deliver measurable impacts, from resilience-building and social protection to rehabilitating farmland and supporting local economies.
The stark reduction in reach highlights a widening gap between needs and resources, underscoring the limitations of relying on fluctuating aid flows in a context of sustained food insecurity.
What’s at Stake
As the lean season approaches, traditionally the period with the highest hunger pressure, the sharp reduction in WFP’s outreach in Nigeria is not just a numerical footnote, but a signal of an unfolding crisis:
- Millions risk deeper hunger and malnutrition;
- Local markets and livelihoods remain strained;
- And the social and economic cost of inaction may be significantly higher than investing now.
WFP is urgently seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in fresh funding to prevent further cuts, a call that, if echoed by governments, donors, and partners, could help avert a deeper humanitarian catastrophe.
