The International Non Governmental Organisations (INGO) Forum has raised the alarm that Nigeria was facing a nationwide emergency due to escalating challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition; with more than 31 million people facing acute food insecurity in 2025.
It also added that from October to December, an estimated 600,000 children under the age of five will be at risk of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in six northern states of Adamawa, Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara.
Speaking at a joint press conference on Thursday in Abuja, Save the Children Country Director (SCI), Duncan Harvey maintained that short term efforts are needed to support the children in the next two months, especially for the children under age five in the six states of the North-east.
He noted: “Nigeria is facing a nationwide emergency due to escalating challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition; with more than 31 million people facing acute food insecurity in 2025 making it the largest food crisis globally.”
Also, Country Director, Action Against Hunger, Thierno Diallo, emphasised that 31 million people are projected to be in acute food and nutritional insecurity during the 2025 lean season.
He stated: “5.4 million children suffer from acute malnutrition. 3.5 million children under five suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), out of which 1.2 million require immediate life-saving treatment.
“From October to December, an estimated 600,000 children under the age of five will be at risk of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in six states in northern Nigeria: Adamawa, Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara
“Without access to lifesaving treatment, 96,000 of these children are likely to die. That is over 1.000 children dying every day.
“32 per cent National prevalence of stunting among children under-fives, and more than 50 per cent in some areas in the Northwest over 800,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women at risk of acute malnutrition.”
Diallo stressed that hunger is not just a risk; it’s a crisis of rights, insisting that food security and nutrition must be treated as non-negotiable for child survival, growth, and future productivity.
He added that no child should die from any preventable cause such as hunger, malnutrition or Illness.
On her part, Director Program Quality, Plan International, Dr. Hellen Ifiong called on the federal government and international agencies to deliberately make funds available for lifesaving nutrition commodities like Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and Therapeutic Milk locally produced and proven to save lives.
She said long-term funding and Nexus approaches (linking humanitarian, peace, and development efforts) are essential for sustained nutrition, security, and development.
Ifiong demanded stronger political commitment and policy enforcement to treat food and nutrition security as a fundamental human right.