The United Nations has sounded the alarm over worsening hunger, poverty, and insecurity in Nigeria, warning that an estimated 31 million people are now food insecure. Even more troubling, over 10 million children under five are acutely malnourished, with 3.5 million at risk of severe malnutrition if urgent action is not taken.
The revelation came during a joint meeting in Abuja yesterday between the Federal Government and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) to mark the 2025 World Humanitarian Day, themed “Strengthening global solidarity and empowering local communities.”
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, painted a grim picture, noting that the commemoration comes at a time when global solidarity is waning. He warned that international humanitarian financing is collapsing, leaving millions of vulnerable people without critical lifelines. “In Nigeria, humanitarian needs are escalating, with hunger and malnutrition reaching alarming levels,” Fall said.
Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Tanko Sununu, emphasized that aid operations must become more efficient, transparent, and connected to development and peacebuilding efforts. He stressed that Nigeria cannot afford to treat humanitarian response in isolation from long-term solutions.
Echoing this, UNOCHA’s Head of Office, Trond Jensen, described the situation as an unfolding disaster, where food insecurity and malnutrition are rising sharply across the country. He urged urgent local and international cooperation to prevent the crisis from deepening further.
The message was clear: without decisive action, millions of Nigerian families—especially children—will continue to suffer the harsh realities of hunger and deprivation.
