The United Nations has reported that nearly 35 million people in Nigeria may face food insecurity in the upcoming lean season, highlighting the critical humanitarian challenges the country faces.

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, made this known during the launch of the 2026 Nigeria Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan yesterday in Abuja.
He said, “Families are facing increased food insecurity. Children are facing alarming malnutrition levels. Nearly a record 35 million people may face food insecurity in the upcoming lean season. Three million children are at risk of life-threatening severe acute malnutrition. These are not statistics. These numbers represent lives, futures and Nigerians.”

The Resident Coordinator explained that civilians in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe continue to live in fear of increased violent attacks.
“In Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states alone, where we have seen an uptick in suicide bombings and the extensive use of improvised explosive devices, more than 4,000 civilians were killed in the first eight months of 2025, the same number as in all of 2023.”

According to the UN, the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan aims to reach 2.5 million people, down from 3.6 million in 2025, with lifesaving assistance at a cost of US $516 million.
This reflects a focus on the most lifesaving activities and the sharp drop in resources projected in 2026.
“There are extreme humanitarian needs and protection risks across the country,” he added.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, pointed out that “Humanitarian action must serve as a bridge; supporting stabilisation, restoring dignity, and enabling households and communities to move permanently out of vulnerability and poverty.”
Represented by the Minister of State in the ministry, Dr Yusuf Sununu, he emphasised the need for the 2026 HNRP to represent a shift from emergency response to prevention and recovery, with full government leadership and ownership of humanitarian coordination in Nigeria.

Dr Doro called for an integrated approach that links humanitarian action with development and peace efforts.
“Let this launch mark a clear transition from dependency to resilience, from response to prevention, and from humanitarian management to sustainable human development,” the minister said.