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The United Nations has warned that about 35 million Nigerians are likely to face acute food insecurity during the lean season from June to August, making the country one of the world’s largest hunger crises.
“Nearly one in seven people, that is 35 million people nationwide in Nigeria, are likely to face acute food insecurity during this year’s lean season, which runs from June to August,” the UN Humanitarian Country Team said in a statement on Friday.
The UN said the burden falls overwhelmingly in the northern part of the country.
Across northwestern and northeastern Nigeria, the UN estimated that 6.4 million children are likely to be acutely malnourished this year.
“If assistance is further delayed, millions of families will be forced to reduce meals further, sell assets, or withdraw their children from school with the long-term impact that we know it has,” the statement read.
The UN appealed for urgent funding to scale up life-saving assistance.
“Our partners and we are appealing for urgent funding to scale up life-saving assistance,” the global multilateral body said.
According to the latest humanitarian response plan report, the already hyper-prioritised $516 million Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for 2026 is just over 40 per cent funded.
As of May 2026, only 215 million out of the 516 million had been received, the report said.
