In Nigeria, more than 600 malnourished children perished within a six-month timeframe.
In the heart of West Africa, northern Nigeria is grappling with a dire and multi-faceted malnutrition crisis. According to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), cases of the most severe and deadly form of malnutrition among children in the region have increased by a staggering 208% between January and June 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 [1].
This crisis is driven by a complex interplay of factors, including high inflation, food insecurity, inadequate healthcare, escalating violence due to jihadist attacks, and disease outbreaks worsened by low vaccination coverage. The impact is worsened by significant funding shortages, particularly from cuts to US foreign aid, which have forced reductions or suspensions of critical nutrition and emergency food assistance programs [1][2][3].
MSF has reported admitting over 24,700 severely malnourished children into inpatient therapeutic programs in northern Nigeria, with an additional 107,400 treated as outpatients. This reflects a 13% increase over the same period in 2024 and a sharp growth compared to previous years [1]. Acute food insecurity affects about 4.6 million people in northern Nigerian states such as Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, with over 600,000 children under five at immediate risk of severe acute malnutrition. Children with severe acute malnutrition are 11 times more likely to die than healthy children [2].
The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned this week that it will be forced to suspend all emergency food and nutrition aid for 1.3 million people in northeast Nigeria at the end of July due to critical funding shortfalls [3]. This aid suspension compounds the crisis amid record hunger and escalating violence, including attacks by jihadist groups disrupting food access and assistance delivery.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women in northern Nigeria are also experiencing acutely high levels of malnutrition, according to an MSF survey of 750 mothers. More than half of the surveyed mothers were found to be acutely malnourished, including 13% with severe acute malnutrition [1]. Since the beginning of 2025, 652 children have died in MSF facilities due to a lack of timely access to care in northern Nigeria [1].
The cuts in foreign aid are not limited to the US, but also affect funding from the UK and EU. The cuts are attributed to US President Donald Trump's decision to slash spending overseas [4]. The crisis is not short-term but a complex, lifelong struggle for affected children, requiring holistic responses that combine emergency treatment with longer-term strategies to improve food systems, healthcare, security, and economic opportunities in the region [1][4].
Sources: [1] MSF. (2025). Northern Nigeria Faces Critical Malnutrition Crisis. Retrieved from https://www.msf.org/northern-nigeria-faces-critical-malnutrition-crisis [2] UNICEF. (2025). Nearly 31 Million People Face Acute Hunger in Nigeria. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/nearly-31-million-people-face-acute-hunger-nigeria [3] WFP. (2025). WFP Warns of Suspending Aid for 1.3 Million People in Northeast Nigeria. Retrieved from https://www.wfp.org/wfp-warns-suspending-aid-13-million-people-northeast-nigeria [4] The Guardian. (2025). US Foreign Aid Cuts Hamper Treatment for Malnourished Children in Northern Nigeria. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/jun/25/us-foreign-aid-cuts-hamper-treatment-for-malnourished-children-in-northern-nigeria
- The severe malnutrition crisis in northern Nigeria is influenced by factors such as science, healthcare, and nutrition, as reported by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
- Political decisions, like the cuts in foreign aid from the US, UK, and EU, have affected healthcare and wellness in Nigeria, including general news about food and medical-conditions.
- Its consequences extend to mental health, as the crisis of malnutrition has led to multiple tragic instances in hospitals, including the death of 652 children.
- The crisis is not only related to food and exercise, but also to chronic diseases, as pregnant and breastfeeding women are also reported to be acutely malnourished.
- The issue of malnutrition in Nigeria is tied to larger political and social problems, such as war and conflicts in the region, which hinder the delivery of necessary fitness and exercise, health-and-wellness, and emergency food assistance programs.
