Aid agencies warn that Nigeria’s deepening hunger crisis threatens millions of children as conflict, climate change, and inflation worsen access to food.
As Nigeria joins other African nations to mark the 16th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security, humanitarian and development organisations have expressed deep concern over the worsening hunger and child malnutrition crisis across the country, particularly in the northern states.
At a media briefing in Abuja, Country Director of Save the Children International (SCI) Nigeria, Duncan Harvey, described the situation as a national emergency requiring immediate attention.
“In one centre in Katsina run by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), about a thousand children were being admitted daily, without life-saving treatment provided by humanitarian agencies, many more children would be dying from malnutrition across northern Nigeria.” Harvey said.
According to him, official figures show that over 31 million Nigerians are currently facing crisis-level food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 and above), validated by both the Nigerian government and the United Nations.
Harvey attributed the growing crisis to conflict, displacement, inflation, climate change, and restricted access to farmlands caused by insecurity.
“The combination of conflict and climate pressures has created a perfect storm. Unless urgent steps are taken, this year could witness record levels of hunger,” he warned.
Policies Without Action
The Director of Programme Quality and Influencing at Plan International Nigeria, Dr. Helen Idiong, called for stronger political commitment and better implementation of food as well as nutrition policies.
“Nigeria has good policies on paper, but weak implementation. We must tackle insecurity, support farmers with inputs and storage, and recognise nutrition as a basic human right,” she said.
Dr. Idiong lamented that thousands of children continue to die from preventable malnutrition, stressing that every figure represents a lost life.
“When we say 1,000 children are dying, it could be your child or your neighbour’s child, hence the need for long-term funding and consistent government action. she said,
Call for Collective Responsibility
Country Director of Action Against Hunger Nigeria, Thierno Samba Diallo, urged Nigerians and the media to help draw attention to the worsening crisis.
“Go to Sokoto, Katsina, Borno, the situation is real. The government is making efforts, but the scale of this emergency calls for stronger international solidarity,” Diallo said.
He called for improved collaboration among the government, humanitarian partners, and the private sector to address the root causes of food insecurity and build resilience in vulnerable communities.
A Call to Action
The Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS) was established by the African Union in 2010 to promote collective efforts towards ending hunger and malnutrition on the continent.
This year’s theme; “Strengthening Food Systems and Achieving Zero Hunger through Collaborative Action and Investment” highlights the importance of partnerships and sustainable food systems.
Participants at the Abuja event called for urgent interventions between now and December to prevent the estimated 600,000 children under five at risk of severe malnutrition from dying.
“Hunger is not just a lack of food. It is a violation of dignity, health, and the rights of children. No child should die from hunger, not today, not tomorrow, not ever,” Dr. Idiong stressed.
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