The United Nations World Food Programme has warned that Nigeria’s food security crisis is worsening faster than previously anticipated.

In a statement issued Thursday, the body noted that conflict is driving hunger in some northern states, particularly the North-East to levels it has not witnessed in almost a decade.

To address the situation, it said that WFP requires USD 89 million over the next six months to continue the food and nutrition assistance as well as essential logistics support across Northern Nigeria before hunger deepens further.

It added that the recently completed Cadre Harmonisé analysis indicated that more than 17 million people across nine conflict-affected states in the region are experiencing crisis, emergency or catastrophic levels of hunger.

“This is an increase of almost two million since the last projections”, the state read in part.

“In Borno State, where insurgent attacks have become increasingly frequent and food assistance has been cut, the analysis shows more than three million people are acutely food insecure.

“Of these, more than 750,000 people are in severe hunger conditions and over 10,000 people are facing catastrophic hunger.

“While those in catastrophic hunger represent a small share of Borno’s overall food insecure population, it provides a stark warning that conflict, displacement and shrinking humanitarian assistance are pushing the crisis into more dangerous territory.”

According to WFP Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Kinday Samba,

the organization is concerned about the fastest expansion of the conflict.

He said: “For years, insurgent attacks and violence were largely concentrated in parts of northeast Nigeria. Today, they are spreading across a much wider area and forcing people from farmland, driving displacement and restricting humanitarian access, meaning hunger is quick to follow.”

The statement held further that humanitarian and food security situation has been compounded by ongoing access issues and extreme funding shortfalls that are making it increasingly difficult for WFP to reach vulnerable populations.

It stressed that the number of inaccessible locations has doubled as about 15 areas are currently considered partially inaccessible for WFP’s frontline staff.

“Cargo movements along major routes are increasingly disrupted by attacks and illegal checkpoints, impacting how efficiently WFP can move humanitarian supplies. In many locations, WFP’s airlift services could remain the only source of transportation.

“Meanwhile, funding shortfalls mean that humanitarian assistance is shrinking. While the number of people food insecure in three northeast states has increased to 6.2 million, WFP is only able to support 740,000 of those, leaving 5.5 million people, particularly children – without lifesaving food and nutrition assistance.

“This is a significant drop from the 1.3 million people WFP was able to support at the height of the 2025 lean season.”

The body said it is deeply concerned that the suspension of food assistance is driving people towards desperate coping strategies.

“Communities have reported cases of individuals joining armed groups in search of food or income, underlining the risks created when hunger deepens and people run out of options”

It expressed worries that suspension of food assistance in some camps due to the funding shortfalls has triggered a deeply alarming escalation in exploitation and gender-based harm that is particularly impacting women and children.

“When people lose access to food, the risks of displacement, exploitation and instability increase. Yet resources are at their lowest at the time they are needed most”, said Samba.