By Abdullahi Lukman
The federal government has disclosed that 575,000 vulnerable Nigerians, equivalent to around 115,000 households, will no longer receive food assistance due to severe funding gaps at the World Food Programme (WFP).
Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday , Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, said the partial suspension of WFP operations in Nigeria’s northeastern and northwestern regions could trigger increased food insecurity, malnutrition, and displacement.
He warned that approximately 300,000 children are now at risk of acute malnutrition, following the shutdown of 150 nutrition clinics previously supported by WFP in Borno and Yobe states.
“WFP currently provides life-saving food aid to 1.3 million vulnerable individuals, including internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, refugees, children, and pregnant and lactating women.
However, due to a significant funding shortfall, the number reached dropped to 900,000 in August and is expected to fall further to 725,000 by September 2025,” Sununu said.
The minister emphasized the urgency of filling the humanitarian gap and proposed several measures including emergency government funding, private sector support, and sustainable solutions such as strengthening local agriculture, promoting nutrition-sensitive practices, and building resilience against climate change.
He also called for stronger partnerships between government bodies, humanitarian organizations, and local communities to address the root causes of food insecurity and to empower local institutions to respond more effectively to crises.
Sununu appealed to both local and international partners to provide urgent support, warning that without swift intervention, Nigeria could face a deepening humanitarian crisis.
