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The United Nations, through its World Food Programme (WFP), has issued a stark warning over rising hunger across West and Central Africa, cautioning that millions could face severe food shortages without urgent intervention.

The agency said at least 55 million people are projected to experience crisis-level hunger or worse during the June–August 2026 lean season, unless additional funding and humanitarian support are secured.

Nigeria Among the Worst-Hit Countries

According to the WFP, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger account for 77 per cent of the region’s food-insecure population, making them the most affected countries.

In Nigeria, the situation is particularly worrying in Borno State, where about 15,000 people are now at risk of catastrophic hunger (IPC Phase 5) for the first time in nearly ten years. The agency linked the crisis to prolonged insecurity and shrinking humanitarian assistance in the northeast.

The UN agency warned that more than 13 million children across West and Central Africa are expected to suffer acute malnutrition in 2026.

Latest data from the Cadre Harmonisé food security analysis shows that over three million people in the region could face emergency hunger levels (IPC Phase 4) this year, more than double the figure recorded in 2020.

WFP officials say reduced humanitarian funding in 2025 has significantly worsened hunger and malnutrition across the region.

Sarah Longford, WFP’s Deputy Regional Director for West and Central Africa, warned that growing needs are now far outpacing available resources, increasing the risk of instability, displacement, and conflict.

In Nigeria, funding shortfalls forced the agency to scale back nutrition programmes, affecting over 300,000 children, while malnutrition levels in several northern states have deteriorated from “serious” to “critical.”

The agency disclosed that only 72,000 people in Nigeria could be assisted in February, compared to 1.3 million people reached during the 2025 lean season.

WFP described the reduction as alarming, especially as food needs continue to rise rapidly across conflict-affected communities.

In Mali, reduced food rations led to a 64 per cent increase in acute hunger in some areas since 2023, while communities receiving full support recorded significant improvement.

Ongoing insecurity has also disrupted food supply routes, leaving 1.5 million people facing crisis-level hunger. In Cameroon, more than 500,000 vulnerable people could soon lose access to life-saving aid without urgent funding.

Despite the grim outlook, the United Nations said its programmes are delivering results where resources remain available.

Land restoration projects in the Sahel have generated up to $30 for every $1 invested, with 300,000 hectares of farmland rehabilitated since 2018 across five countries, supporting more than four million people.

The WFP said it needs over $453 million in the next six months to sustain humanitarian operations across West and Central Africa.

The agency called for stronger investment in preparedness, resilience, and early action to reduce long-term dependence on aid and protect future generations from recurring hunger.