Nigeria
A catastrophic hunger crisis is set to dramatically worsen in northeastern Nigeria, as the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warns it will be forced to slash food aid to over a million vulnerable people within weeks due to a critical lack of funding, amidst escalating violence and record hunger levels.
The WFP announced Thursday it must sharply scale back its life-saving assistance in February, reaching only 72,000 people—a staggering drop from the 1.3 million it supported during last year’s lean season.
The agency stated its limited resources are now “exhausted,” threatening a vital lifeline in a region where it has aided nearly two million annually since 2015.
Record hunger amid surging violence
This drastic reduction comes as Nigeria faces an unprecedented hunger forecast.
A record 35 million people across the nation are projected to face severe hunger this year, the highest figure ever recorded by WFP in the country.
The crisis is fueled by intense violence; recent attacks have displaced 3.5 million people, destroyed food supplies, and prevented farming.
A stark example occurred last week, with gunmen kidnapping over 150 worshippers in coordinated church attacks.
Funding cuts deepen the crisis
Compounding the emergency are broader cuts to international food aid.
The WFP notes the region has been severely impacted by a large-scale reduction in U.N. assistance, following U.S. funding cuts to USAID.
Nigeria is among several nations where this has intensified food insecurity, forcing WFP to already limit nutrition programs across West and Central Africa last July.
Country Director David Stevenson warned the impending aid suspension will have “disastrous humanitarian, security, and economic repercussions” for millions displaced and starving.
