Humanitarian leaders, government representatives and development partners attend the Humanitarian Xchange (HX) Abuja 2026 conference in Abuja, where aid agencies warned that 36.2 million Nigerians could face acute food insecurity
More than 36.2 million Nigerians are expected to face acute food and nutrition insecurity during the 2026 lean season, humanitarian organisations have warned, as conflict, climate shocks, soaring food prices and shrinking global aid funding deepen the country’s humanitarian crisis.
The warning came on Tuesday, at the opening of the Humanitarian Xchange (HX) Abuja 2026, a two-day conference organised by the Humanitarian Leadership Academy (HLA) and Save the Children Nigeria to strengthen locally led humanitarian action and partnerships.
Speaking at the conference, Save the Children Nigeria Country Director Duncan Harvey said the humanitarian situation is deteriorating across the country, with millions of vulnerable families struggling to meet basic food needs.
“According to the latest Cadre Harmonisé analysis, 36.2 million people across 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory are expected to face acute food and nutrition insecurity between June and August 2026,” Harvey said.
He said two million people are projected to experience emergency levels of food insecurity, while more than 10,000 people in Borno State could face catastrophic hunger if urgent humanitarian assistance is not provided.
Harvey warned that children and mothers remain the most vulnerable.
“Children and mothers are at the frontline of this crisis,” he said. “Rising food prices, limited access to healthcare, poor dietary diversity, conflict, displacement and climate-related shocks are making it increasingly difficult for families to meet even their most basic needs.”
He added that global funding cuts are placing additional pressure on humanitarian organisations at a time when needs continue to rise.
“No single organisation can address the scale of today’s challenges alone,” Harvey said. “When we coordinate effectively, we reduce duplication, use resources more efficiently, amplify local leadership and ensure assistance reaches those who need it most.”
The Director of the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, Pawel Mania, said local organisations must play a central role in humanitarian response because they possess the knowledge and community trust needed to respond quickly during crises.
“Local actors are always the closest to the response. This is where the knowledge sits, and this is where decisions should be made,” Mania said.
He said Nigeria is among the academy’s five largest users of Kaya Connect, its humanitarian learning platform, demonstrating strong demand among local responders for professional training and capacity development.
Mania also called for local humanitarian organisations to be included in global conversations on artificial intelligence, saying emerging technologies should strengthen rather than sideline community-based responders.
“We are championing local voices in conversations about how AI can support humanitarian action. These conversations should not happen only in the Global North,” he said.
Also speaking, Save the Children International’s Director of Programme Operations in Nigeria, Joshua Anar, said children continue to bear the heaviest burden of the country’s humanitarian crisis.
“Millions of children are suffering from food insecurity and malnutrition,” Anar said. “Their education has also been disrupted by conflict, displacement and other forms of insecurity.”
He said humanitarian organisations must strengthen collaboration to improve assistance for affected communities.
“Local organisations are rooted in the communities where they work. They are the closest to the response areas,” he said, urging governments and development partners to invest more in building the capacity of indigenous humanitarian organisations.
Meanwhile, Executive Director of the indigenous organisation Forward in Action for Education, Poverty and Malnutrition (FESPAM), Dabis Mwalike, warned that declining donor funding is limiting humanitarian operations across Nigeria.
“We have seen sustained dwindling of funding in the humanitarian space, and this is affecting humanitarian responses in Nigeria,” Mwalike said.
He called for stronger collaboration among local organisations, saying consortium approaches would enable indigenous groups to mobilise more resources and sustain interventions in nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene and livelihoods.
“No one partner can solve humanitarian issues entirely. When we work as consortiums, we combine our strengths and are better positioned to attract funding to support vulnerable communities,” he said.
Participants at the conference said strengthening local leadership, innovation and partnerships will be critical to addressing Nigeria’s growing humanitarian challenges as millions continue to face hunger, displacement and the effects of climate-related disasters.
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