Food crisis looms as UN projects 35 million Nigerians at risk in 2026

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has raised the alarm that nearly 35 million Nigerians may experience acute food insecurity during the 2026 lean season.

The warning is contained in Nigeria’s 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP), which highlights worsening humanitarian conditions across the country.

According to OCHA, about 5.8 million of those at risk are located in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States, where prolonged conflict, displacement, climate shocks, limited access to basic services, and economic hardship continue to intensify humanitarian needs.

The UN further projected that approximately three million children under the age of five could suffer from severe acute malnutrition in 2026 and out of this number, one million children are expected to be in the Bayelsa, Adamawa and Yobe States alone.

OCHA noted that women and children account for about 80 per cent of Nigerians requiring urgent humanitarian assistance, underscoring the growing vulnerability of these groups amid rising food insecurity and economic challenges.