WFP Warns of ‘Famine-Like Conditions’ as Jihadist Violence Drives Hunger in Northern Nigeria

The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that escalating jihadist attacks and worsening insecurity across northern Nigeria are pushing hunger to levels not seen in years, with thousands now at risk of “famine-like conditions.”

In a statement released on Tuesday, the UN agency said nearly 35 million people are projected to face severe food insecurity during the 2026 lean season, which runs from May to September each year.

Borno: 15,000 at Risk of Catastrophic Hunger

According to WFP, Borno State, the epicentre of the 16-year Boko Haram insurgency, remains the worst hit.
About 15,000 people in the state are expected to slide into “catastrophic hunger” — the highest category on the global food insecurity scale.

The conflict in the northeast has killed over 40,000 people, displaced around two million, and continues to spill into Niger, Cameroon, and Chad.

Multiple Security Crises Amplifying Hunger

Beyond the Islamist insurgency, Nigeria faces relentless violence from armed groups known locally as bandits, who raid villages, kill residents and kidnap for ransom across the northwest and north-central regions.

Just last week, the country witnessed three major mass kidnappings:

• Over 300 students and teachers abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State
• 25 female Muslim students kidnapped in Kebbi State
• 38 worshippers seized from a church in Kwara State during a livestreamed service

Although insurgent attacks dropped after 2015, WFP says violence has surged again in 2025, fuelled by multiple factors including factional jihadist activity and overstretched security forces.

Economic Crisis Deepens Food Shortages

The lean season — the period between planting and harvest — is already the most difficult time for rural families. Normally, households survive by buying food in local markets, but soaring prices driven by Nigeria’s economic crisis have made this nearly impossible.

Inflation remains in the double digits despite ongoing reforms by President Bola Tinubu, which, while praised by the IMF, have sharply increased the cost of living for ordinary Nigerians.

Aid Cuts Forcing WFP to Scale Down Support

WFP warned that its operations are being crippled by global funding cuts.

The agency’s largest donor, the United States, has reduced foreign aid under President Donald Trump, and several European governments have also slashed their humanitarian budgets.

Nearly one million people in northeast Nigeria rely on WFP food assistance, but funding shortages forced the agency to begin reducing nutrition programmes in July.

Out of 500 nutrition centres run by the WFP in the region:

• 150 were shut down at the end of July
• Over 300,000 children were left without critical support
• Malnutrition levels rose from “serious” to “critical” in the third quarter

Jihadist Activity Expands

Adding to concerns, the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) claimed responsibility for its first attack in Nigeria late last month, signalling a spread of extremist operations beyond the traditional Boko Haram–ISWAP axis.

‘Families Are Being Pushed to the Edge’ — WFP

WFP’s representative in Nigeria, David Stevenson, warned that worsening violence and deepening poverty are pushing communities toward disaster.

“Families are being pushed closer to the edge, and the need for support is rising,”
he said.

With attacks intensifying and aid pipelines shrinking, humanitarian experts warn that northern Nigeria could face one of its worst food crises in decades.