The UN World Food Programme has warned that emergency food assistance in northeast Nigeria is at risk of drastic reduction due to severe funding shortages. The agency disclosed that without fresh donor support, it may be forced to cut food aid from more than 1.3 million people to just about 72,000 in the coming months, a scale down officials describe as catastrophic.
The affected region, covering Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states, has endured over a decade of conflict that displaced millions and destroyed livelihoods. Many families remain entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance for survival. The WFP says current funding levels are no longer sufficient to maintain operations, including food distributions, nutrition programmes for children and pregnant women, and logistical support for remote communities.
Officials warn that reduced assistance could push vulnerable households toward negative coping strategies such as skipping meals, selling productive assets, or withdrawing children from school. There are also concerns that hunger could fuel further instability in already fragile communities.
The agency has appealed to international donors to urgently bridge the funding gap, stressing that food aid is not just a humanitarian necessity but also a stabilising force. Without it, progress made in recent years could quickly unravel. Nigerian authorities have expressed concern over the situation, but the WFP maintains that international support remains critical to averting widespread suffering.
