Aid Cuts Push Millions Into Hunger in Northeast Nigeria

Northeast Nigeria is facing a worsening humanitarian crisis as aid cuts by international donors intensify hunger and malnutrition across conflict-affected states like Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe. With over 4.4 million people projected to face acute food insecurity in 2025, reduced humanitarian funding threatens to undo years of progress in the fight against hunger and child malnutrition.

In recent months, reports from humanitarian agencies, including the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), warn that thousands of children risk severe acute malnutrition, while communities already displaced by insurgency now have limited access to food, healthcare, and livelihood support.

This article explores the causes, impact, and potential solutions to the deepening food crisis in northeast Nigeria.

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The Impact of Aid Cuts on Food Security

1. Rising Malnutrition Among Children

According to MSF, at least 652 children died from malnutrition in Katsina State in just six months of 2025, and the situation is equally dire in the northeast. With nutrition centres closing due to lack of funds, vulnerable children are left untreated, raising mortality risks. Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) cases are expected to spike during the lean season (June–September), when food scarcity peaks.

2. Food Aid Reductions

The WFP recently announced that it has been forced to halve food rations for displaced families in Borno due to donor fatigue and competing global crises. This means that many households who relied entirely on food baskets from humanitarian partners are now receiving 50% fewer calories than recommended.

3. Collapsing Healthcare Services

International health programmes offering free nutrition supplements, maternal care, and emergency treatment are scaling down. This leaves already overstretched Nigerian health facilities unable to cope with the influx of malnourished children and pregnant women needing care.

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Root Causes of the Crisis

1. Prolonged Conflict:
   Over a decade of insurgency in the northeast has displaced millions, destroyed farmland, and disrupted trade routes, making it nearly impossible for communities to be food self-sufficient.

2. Climate Change:
   Erratic rainfall, desertification, and flooding have reduced agricultural productivity, worsening food shortages.

3. Economic Instability:
   Inflation in Nigeria, which hit record highs in 2024 and 2025, makes food unaffordable for many families. Rising fuel costs also increase the price of transporting food to remote communities.

4. Shrinking International Aid:
   With global attention shifting to crises in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan, Nigeria has witnessed a 30% decline in donor commitments for humanitarian relief since 2023.

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Humanitarian Consequences

• Child Mortality Surge: Malnutrition is now one of the leading causes of child deaths in the northeast.

• Gendered Impact: Women and girls often eat last in households, making them more vulnerable to hunger and related complications during pregnancy.

• Displacement Pressure: Families unable to find food in rural areas are moving into overcrowded IDP camps, worsening sanitation and disease outbreaks.

• Security Risks: Hunger and desperation fuel recruitment into armed groups, undermining counter-terrorism and peacebuilding efforts.

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Government and International Response

The Nigerian government, through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, has pledged to scale up food distribution and strengthen health interventions. President Bola Tinubu also recently mandated compulsory health insurance for all federal workers, aiming to improve access to care.

However, these efforts require stronger international collaboration. Aid agencies insist that without urgent funding, they will be forced to prioritize only the most vulnerable, leaving millions without assistance.

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Pathways to Solutions

1. Increased Donor Funding:
   Nigeria’s partners must renew financial commitments to food and nutrition programmes. Even modest contributions can save thousands of children from preventable deaths.

2. Local Food Production:
   Supporting farmers with seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation can reduce dependence on imported aid.

3. Public-Private Partnerships:
   Nigerian businesses and philanthropists can complement donor funding by investing in nutrition programmes, school feeding, and maternal care.

4. Improved Governance:
   Transparent distribution of relief materials and stronger monitoring mechanisms will ensure aid reaches those most in need.

5. Community-Based Interventions:
   Expanding nutrition education, small-scale farming, and women-led food cooperatives can build resilience against future shocks.

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Conclusion

The hunger and malnutrition crisis in northeast Nigeria is not just a humanitarian emergency—it is a national security and development challenge. Aid cuts have deepened vulnerabilities, pushing millions of children and families closer to starvation.

For Nigeria to overcome this crisis, a multi-pronged strategy is essential: renewed donor support, local agricultural investments, health system strengthening, and community empowerment. If action is delayed, the cost in lives, stability, and economic development will be far greater.

The world must not look away—Northeast Nigeria needs urgent global solidarity now.