The World Food Program (WFP), along with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said in a joint statement that this figure was a significant increase from the 25 million people currently in need of support.
“Never before has there been so many people in Nigeria without food.”WFP country spokesperson Chi Lael told reporters at the United Nations in Geneva.
Avoid potential disaster
A recent assessment found that immediate support is needed to avoid a potential food and nutrition catastrophe in the face of triple-digit rises in food prices, the aftermath of devastating floods and 15 years of insurgency in the northeast.
Nigeria faces a massive hunger crisis in the second half of 2025, with an estimated five million people experiencing severe food insecurity, especially in the northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
Other regions are also at risk, including emerging hunger hotspots in Zamfara, Katsina and Sokoto states.
Young lives are at risk.
Mr. Rael said. 5.4 million children and 800,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women face the threat of acute malnutrition. Or waste.
She warned that of this number, an alarming 1.8 million children could suffer from severe acute malnutrition and require serious nutritional treatment.
“What we are most worried about is the rate of deterioration last year.“Scale – in terms of the number of people at risk, the geographic scope of food insecurity, and the real risk that it will worsen significantly in the coming months,” she said.
stop this crisis
She stressed the need for an “immediate and large-scale” collective response encompassing prevention, mitigation and life-saving support.
This includes preventive measures in rural areas to stop the spread of hunger, including providing cash, seeds and fertilizers to vulnerable farmers. Meanwhile, emergency support for areas such as nutrition, health support, food supply, water and sanitation will reduce the depth of the crisis.
“We have the ability to stop this crisis and prevent a catastrophe in Nigeria. If we respond now, it can be managed and fully completed,” she said.
