Resurgent terrorist attacks and growing instability in northern Nigeria are driving hunger to unprecedented levels, with thousands facing famine-like conditions, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Tuesday.
According to the UN agency, nearly 35 million people in northern Nigeria are projected to face severe food insecurity during the 2026 lean season, which spans from May to September. In Borno State, the epicentre of the 16-year-long jihadist insurgency, around 15,000 people are expected to experience catastrophic hunger.
The conflict in the northeast has killed over 40,000 people and displaced around two million, with instability spilling into neighbouring countries. Boko Haram remains the primary jihadist threat in the region, while bandit gangs in the central and northwestern states raid villages, abduct residents for ransom, and kill indiscriminately.
Last week alone, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, suffered three mass kidnappings: over 300 students and teachers were abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State, 25 Muslim high school girls were seized in Kebbi State, and 38 worshippers were taken from a church during a livestreamed service in Kwara State.
While Nigeria’s insurgency has slowed since its peak around 2015, attacks have intensified in 2025, stretching security forces thin and exploiting weaknesses that have strengthened jihadist groups. The lean season between planting and harvest leaves rural communities particularly vulnerable, with limited food reserves.
Economic pressures compound the crisis. Double-digit inflation has left many unable to purchase food, and foreign aid cuts have strained humanitarian support. The United States, the WFP’s largest donor, reduced funding under President Donald Trump, and several European nations have also cut budgets for humanitarian assistance.
Almost one million people in northeastern Nigeria rely on WFP food aid. Funding shortfalls forced the agency to scale down nutrition programs in July, closing 150 of its 500 nutrition centres, leaving over 300,000 children at risk and pushing malnutrition levels from “serious” to “critical.”
Jihadist attacks have also intensified this year, including an attack claimed by the al-Qaeda-affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), marking its first operation in Nigeria.
“Communities are under severe pressure from repeated attacks and economic stress,” said WFP Nigeria representative David Stevenson. “Families are being pushed closer to the edge, and the need for support is rising.”
Northern Nigeria’s crisis unfolds amid a crippling economic downturn, as President Bola Tinubu’s reforms, while praised by the IMF, have sharply increased the cost of living, further exacerbating food insecurity.
