Hunger crisis looms as UN warns 35 million Nigerians may struggle to find food in coming months

• UN says 35 million Nigerians may face acute hunger between June and August 2026.

• Northern states affected by insecurity are expected to be hardest hit.

• About 6.4 million children risk acute malnutrition, according to the UN.

• The organisation says humanitarian funding shortages are worsening the crisis.

The United Nations has warned that about 35 million Nigerians could face acute hunger between June and August 2026 as worsening insecurity, rising food prices and economic hardship continue to affect millions across the country.

In a statement released by the UN Humanitarian Country Team in Nigeria, the organisation described the situation as alarming, warning that urgent humanitarian support is needed to prevent a deeper food crisis during the coming lean season.

The UN said, “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.”

The lean season refers to the period before harvest when food supplies are usually low and prices become more expensive.

According to the UN, the crisis is expected to hit northern Nigeria the hardest, especially conflict-affected areas in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states where insecurity has disrupted farming activities and displaced thousands of families.

The organisation also raised concerns over child malnutrition, revealing that millions of children could face severe hunger-related health conditions this year.

It stated that about 6.4 million children in northern Nigeria are at risk of acute malnutrition, while nearly three million children under the age of five across the country could suffer from severe acute malnutrition.

The UN warned that the condition could become life-threatening if urgent medical and nutritional support is not provided.

Speaking on the crisis, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, said shrinking global humanitarian funding is making the situation worse.

“Without immediate support, millions of vulnerable people may be pushed deeper into hunger and desperation,” he said.

The organisation explained that insecurity caused by banditry, insurgency and violent attacks has prevented many farmers from accessing their farmlands, leading to lower food production in several communities.

At the same time, rising inflation and the increasing cost of food items have made it difficult for many Nigerians to afford daily meals.

The UN also noted that flooding and climate-related disasters in some states have worsened agricultural losses and displacement.

According to the humanitarian body, only about $215 million has so far been received out of the $516 million needed for Nigeria’s 2026 humanitarian response plan.

The funding shortage, it said, is already affecting food assistance, healthcare and nutrition programmes targeted at vulnerable populations.

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The warning comes amid growing economic hardship in Nigeria, where many households continue to struggle with rising transportation costs, inflation and declining purchasing power.

The UN urged governments, donor agencies and humanitarian partners to increase support urgently to prevent millions of Nigerians from sliding deeper into hunger in the coming months.