Nigeria is standing on the edge of a storm — a silent, heavy one made of empty barns, abandoned farmlands, and families unsure where the next meal will come from. Recent warnings from the World Food Programme (WFP) paint a grim picture: unless immediate action is taken, the country could slip into one of the worst hunger crises in its modern history.
Across northern Nigeria, communities are being hit from two sides. On one hand, violent insurgency continues to choke the life out of farming regions. Attacks by groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP have pushed countless farmers off their land, burned crops, destroyed tools, and forced whole villages into displacement camps. Fields that once fed thousands now sit bare — not because the soil failed, but because the people who tended it were driven away.
On the other hand, international support — the lifeline keeping millions afloat — is shrinking at an alarming rate. With major donors withdrawing or reducing funding, the WFP has signaled that emergency food aid could run out by December. That means entire communities that depend on monthly food baskets could suddenly be left with nothing.
Humanitarian experts warn that if this funding gap continues, as many as 35 million Nigerians may face hunger in 2026 — a number so high it eclipses every previous record for the region. This isn’t just a statistic; it represents children whose growth may be permanently stunted, mothers skipping meals so their infants can eat, and fathers walking miles under the sun hoping to find even a little grain for survival.
What makes the situation worse is the cycle of insecurity. When farmers can’t farm, prices rise. When prices rise, more families fall into poverty. And when poverty spreads, desperation grows — fueling even more instability and pushing communities deeper into vulnerability.
Humanitarian organizations are calling for immediate funding, stronger security measures in rural areas, and sustainable long-term support for farmers. Without this, Nigeria could be staring down a humanitarian disaster that leaves scars for generations.
For now, families in the North continue to pray, wait, and survive one day at a time. But time is running out — and the world must act before this crisis turns into a full-scale famine.