WFP Warns of Looming Hunger Crisis in Central Sahel and Nigeria Due to Funding Shortages

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a stark warning that without immediate funding, life-saving food and nutrition assistance in Central Sahel and Nigeria will cease by April 2025.

The crisis comes as the lean season, when food shortages peak, is expected to arrive earlier than usual, worsening food insecurity across the region.

Millions at Risk as Aid is Set to Stop

In just over a month, WFP will be forced to suspend assistance for 2 million crisis-affected people, including:

• Sudanese refugees in Chad
• Malian refugees in Mauritania
• Internally displaced persons in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria
• Food-insecure families across the Sahel

WFP estimates it urgently needs $620 million to continue supporting these vulnerable populations over the next six months.

Hunger Crisis Deepens Across the Sahel

According to the latest Cadre Harmonisé food security analysis from December 2024:

• 52.7 million people in West Africa will experience acute hunger between June and August 2025.
• 3.4 million people in the Sahel will face emergency food insecurity (IPC Phase 4).
• 2,600 people in northern Mali are projected to experience catastrophic hunger (IPC Phase 5).

Margot van der Velden, WFP’s Regional Director for West Africa, described the situation as dire:

“The global shrinkage of foreign aid is posing a significant threat to our operations in Western Africa, especially in Central Sahel and Nigeria. We need to act now to allow WFP to reach those in need with timely support. Inaction will have severe consequences for the region and beyond, as food security is national security.”

Nigeria Faces Escalating Food Crisis

The humanitarian crisis in Nigeria is being worsened by high inflation and climate-related disasters.

• During the June-August lean season, an estimated 33.1 million Nigerians will experience severe food shortages.
• In the North-East, hunger levels are rising, with 4.8 million people in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states facing acute hunger, up from 4.3 million in 2023.

The crisis is fueled by conflict, displacement, economic instability, and extreme weather events, including devastating floods that affected over 6 million people in 2024.

Urgent Action Needed to Prevent Catastrophe

Despite the growing needs, West and Central Africa remain chronically underfunded. Experts warn that without immediate intervention, the hunger crisis will escalate, leading to widespread suffering and instability.