The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that 55 million individuals in West and Central Africa are projected to experience crisis-level hunger in 2026, with Nigeria among the four countries most severely impacted, alongside Chad, Cameroon, and Niger, which collectively represent 77 percent of the region’s food-insecure population..
In Nigeria, the WFP expressed concern for approximately 15,000 individuals in Borno State who are now at risk of catastrophic hunger, classified as IPC Phase 5, for the first time in nearly 10 years, due to ongoing insurgency and diminishing humanitarian assistance.
This warning was contained in a statement released on its website on Friday, which also projected that over 13 million children in the region would experience acute malnutrition in 2026.
In the latest cadre harmonisé analysis, which is the West and Central African equivalent of the integrated food security phase classification, more than three million people are expected to face emergency levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 4) this year, more than double the 1.5 million reported in 2020.
The statement noted: “The United Nations World Food Programme warns that without urgent resources and action, the most vulnerable populations in West and Central Africa are on track for another devastating year.
“An alarming 55 million people in the region are anticipated to endure crisis levels of hunger or worse during the June–August 2026 lean season. Additionally, over 13 million children are expected to suffer from malnutrition in 2026.
“Four countries, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger, account for 77 percent of the food insecurity figures, including 15,000 individuals in Nigeria’s Borno State at risk of catastrophic hunger (IPC-5) for the first time in nearly a decade.
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“The funding reductions we observed in 2025 have intensified hunger and malnutrition throughout the region,” stated Sarah Longford, WFP’s Deputy Regional Director for West and Central Africa.
“As the needs exceed available funding, the risk of young people falling into despair also increases.
“It is crucial that we assist communities in crisis to prevent rampant hunger from leading to further unrest, displacement, and conflict in the region,” she added.
The WFP reported that thousands of individuals in Nigeria’s conflict-affected northeast are now facing the threat of severe food shortages, as cuts to humanitarian aid have forced the agency to significantly reduce its operations.
It revealed that funding shortfalls in 2025 led the organization to scale back nutrition programs in Nigeria, impacting over 300,000 children, while malnutrition rates in several northern states have worsened from “serious” to “critical.”
