Conflict and insecurity, rising inflation and the impact of the climate crisis continue to drive hunger in Nigeria – with 30.6 million people across the country facing acute hunger.

Conflict  in the northeast has displaced 2.3 million people and left nearly 5 million facing acute food insecurity and limited access to assistance  in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. Three million of them are in Borno State, the epicentre of insurgency.

Nigeria is subject to periodic droughts and floods. This has had an adverse impact on agricultural output and increased the vulnerability of populations, especially in rural areas.

Insurgent activities have added pressure to a fragile resource environment, deepened insecurity, hampered development, and heightened the food and nutrition insecurity of vulnerable women and children.

The World Food Programme has been holding hunger at bay in northern Nigeria, reaching more than 1.3 million people with life-saving assistance and reducing malnutrition admissions among children in areas it supports.

However, our food and nutrition programmes are on the verge of suspension in conflict-affected communities from August, due to critical funding shortfalls. Without urgent support, life-saving assistance will halt at a time of record need.

What the World Food Programme is doing in Nigeria

Food assistance
WFP has held hunger at bay during the first half of 2025, particularly in conflict-affected areas in the north, reaching more than 1.3 million people with life-saving food and nutrition assistance. The suspension of food aid could further destabilize the region as people are faced with impossible choices: endure hunger, flee their homes or risk exploitation by extremist groups.
Nutrition
WFP’s assistance in norther Nigeria has reduced malnutrition admissions among children in areas it supports. However, lack of funding has led to the closure of 150 WFP-supported nutrition clinics in Borno and Yobe states – home to some of the highest levels of hunger and malnutrition. This leaves 300, 000 children at risk of wasting (low weight for height).
Livelihoods
Where feasible, and in collaboration with the Government and other partners, WFP implements livelihood programmes and income-generating activities. We give cash to people in the short term, while providing training so displaced people can acquire skills and employment in the long term, in areas such as food processing, aquaculture, vegetable gardening, tailoring and carpentry.
Capacity strengthening
WFP supports to the Government of Nigeria in addressing food insecurity and malnutrition. This includes supporting policy development, providing technical assistance to Africa’s largest nationally owned home-grown school feeding programme, institutionalizing shock-responsive social protection at the national level, and focusing on systems strengthening in areas such as Sokoto State.
Logistics
The WFP-led Logistics Sector – part of the Logistics Cluster – supports the response to humanitarian needs across northeast Nigeria. It offers humanitarian organizations logistics coordination, information management, access to common storage facilities, and capacity strengthening, to support emergency preparedness and response. These services are provided to over 90 organizations, including government agencies, the United Nations and NGOs.
Emergency Telecommunications Service
The Emergency Telecommunications Service (ETS) provides secured communication and internet connectivity in nine field hub locations. ETS also deploys the CrisisNet kits – a portable on-the-go replica of the communications systems set up in the hubs to provide emergency connectivity for humanitarian responders, anytime, anywhere. Overall, ETS provides security communication and internet connectivity to 3,000 users from over 90 organizations, including United Nations agencies and NGOs.
UN Humanitarian Air Service
WFP provides air transport to the entire humanitarian community, including helicopters to carry vital relief – vaccines, medicine, medical equipment and staff – to hard-to-reach, isolated areas. The United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), managed by WFP, was transporting over 3,700 passengers a month by the end of 2023. UNHAS was also transporting 10.2 mt of light humanitarian cargo each month, reaching 14 locations. UNHAS passenger and cargo services support more than 80 organizations in Nigeria.

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Partners and donors

Achieving Zero Hunger is the work of many. Our work in Nigeria is made possible by the support and collaboration of our partners and donors, including:
Canada European Commission France Japan Sweden

Operations in Nigeria

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Contacts

Office

Asokoro
Nigeria

Phone
+2349070250844; +2349070250847; +2348025537824
Email
wfp.abuja@wfp.org
For media inquiries
wfp.abuja@wfp.org
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