By Abbas Nazil
Millions of people across the Central Sahel and Nigeria are at risk of losing critical food aid as the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warns of an impending suspension of assistance due to a severe funding crisis.
Without an urgent injection of $620 million, life-saving food and nutrition support will cease next month, exacerbating an already dire situation for millions facing hunger.
The crisis comes at a time when the lean season, the period between harvests when food insecurity peaks, is expected to arrive earlier than usual.
The combination of conflict, displacement, economic instability, and severe climate shocks, including devastating floods that affected over six million people in 2024, has driven chronic hunger across the region.
Without immediate intervention, WFP estimates that 52.7 million people will experience acute food insecurity between June and August 2025, an alarming rise of over 20 percent compared to previous projections.
The funding shortfall will force WFP to suspend assistance for two million people in crisis-affected areas, including Sudanese refugees in Chad, Malian refugees in Mauritania, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) and food-insecure families in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria.
The agency has already been making difficult decisions to cut rations, prioritizing the most vulnerable populations, but available resources continue to shrink.
Nigeria, which has been battling a prolonged humanitarian crisis, is among the hardest-hit nations.
Inflation and climate shocks have further weakened food security, pushing millions closer to starvation.
During the lean season, an estimated 33.1 million Nigerians are expected to face severe food shortages, with children, pregnant women, and entire communities particularly at risk.
The situation is equally dire in Chad, where the ongoing influx of Sudanese refugees is putting immense pressure on already limited resources.
Competition for food and essential supplies is intensifying tensions between local communities and displaced populations.
The country, now entering its sixth consecutive year of severe food insecurity, has witnessed a staggering 200 percent increase in food-insecure populations since 2020.
WFP is working closely with national governments to assess and adapt response strategies to ensure assistance reaches the most vulnerable.
However, without immediate funding, the region faces a catastrophic hunger crisis that could destabilize communities and threaten regional security.
“The world must step up support to prevent this situation from getting out of control,” said Margot van der Velden, WFP’s Regional Director for Western Africa.
She urged swift action to secure funding and ensure uninterrupted food assistance, warning that inaction will have devastating consequences for millions across the region.
