Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, has disclosed that Nigeria recorded the highest number of malnutrition admissions among the 77 countries where the organisation operates, as worsening insecurity, climate-related disasters and rising food prices continue to push millions into hunger.

Presenting its 2025 Country Activity Report in Abuja, MSF said its teams, working with health authorities, treated more than 440,000 children for malnutrition across Nigeria in 2025, describing the figure as the highest admissions recorded by the organisation in the country in recent years.

The organisation said conflict, insecurity, displacement, flooding, drought and rising food prices had continued to limit access to food and healthcare for many families, while humanitarian funding cuts were placing additional pressure on already overstretched services in crisis-affected communities.

MSF Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr Ahmed Aldikhari, said the scale of malnutrition recorded in Nigeria was unprecedented within the organisation’s global operations.

“The malnutrition cases we had in Nigeria were the biggest in the world and we are operating in 77 countries,” he said.

According to the report, MSF treated 353,989 children with severe acute malnutrition through outpatient programmes, while 90,723 children suffering from acute malnutrition with medical complications were admitted into inpatient stabilisation centres in MSF-supported facilities.

MSF said its teams had observed a steady rise in malnutrition cases across several projects in northern Nigeria since 2022, with 2025 recording the highest number of admissions so far.

Aldikhari attributed the worsening crisis to climate change, insecurity in northern states regarded as Nigeria’s food basket, poor infrastructure, weak healthcare systems, shortage of medical personnel, low remuneration for health workers and widening funding gaps.

He noted that malnutrition remained both a cause and consequence of several preventable diseases affecting vulnerable communities with poor access to healthcare.

“We are seeing a vicious cycle where malnutrition is both a cause and a consequence of diseases such as measles, malaria and diphtheria, especially when healthcare is delayed or inaccessible,” he said.

Beyond malnutrition interventions, MSF said it treated more than 300,000 malaria cases and assisted over 33,500 deliveries across Nigeria in 2025.

The organisation stressed the need for stronger investment in emergency maternal healthcare and primary healthcare systems, particularly in underserved communities.

“Timely access to emergency obstetric and newborn care can save lives. There is an urgent need for stronger investment in primary healthcare, referral systems, staffing, equipment and emergency maternal services, especially in underserved areas,” Aldikhari added.

MSF also underscored the importance of community engagement in improving vaccine acceptance and containing disease outbreaks.

MSF has operated in Nigeria since 1996, responding to disease outbreaks, malnutrition, maternal health emergencies, natural disasters and conflict-related crises.

In 2025, the organisation ran medical projects in Bauchi, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states, while also establishing a new presence in Kaduna State.