36.2m Nigerians Face Acute Food Insecurity, Save The Children Warns

Save the Children International has raised the alarm that an estimated 36.2 million Nigerians across 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) will experience acute food and nutrition insecurity during the 2026 lean season, warning that children and mothers are at greatest risk as the humanitarian crisis deepens.

The organisation attributed the worsening situation to persistent conflict, climate shocks, soaring food prices and declining global humanitarian funding, calling for urgent action to prevent the crisis from escalating.

Speaking on Tuesday at the Humanitarian Xchange Abuja 2026 conference, themed: “Strengthening Local Voices, Partnerships and Innovations in Humanitarian Response,” Save the Children Nigeria Country Director, Duncan Harvey, said the latest Cadre Harmonisé food security analysis paints a grim picture for millions of vulnerable Nigerians.

According to Harvey, 36.2 million people are projected to face acute food and nutrition insecurity between June and August this year.

“Among them, two million people are projected to be in Emergency levels of food insecurity, while more than 10,000 people in Borno State could face catastrophic conditions if urgent action is not taken,” he said.

Harvey said children and mothers remain the worst affected by the crisis, noting that conditions in conflict-hit Borno State are particularly severe.

“In Borno State alone, more than 758,000 people are expected to face emergency levels of food insecurity, while malnutrition rates remain critically high in areas such as Mobbar, Nganzai and Maiduguri,” he said.

He blamed the deteriorating humanitarian situation on a combination of rising food costs, inadequate dietary diversity, limited healthcare access, conflict, displacement and climate-related disasters.

Harvey also warned that shrinking humanitarian funding worldwide is placing additional pressure on relief agencies at a time when needs continue to grow.

“The humanitarian landscape is becoming increasingly complex. Around the world, we are witnessing growing insecurity, escalating conflicts and worsening climate crises. At the same time, global funding cuts are placing enormous pressure on the humanitarian sector, forcing difficult choices at a moment when needs continue to rise,” he said.

He stressed that addressing the scale of the crisis would require stronger collaboration among governments, humanitarian organisations, development partners, academic institutions and the private sector.

“The need for stronger coordination among humanitarian actors has never been greater. No single organisation can address the scale of today’s challenges alone. When we coordinate effectively, we reduce duplication, use resources more efficiently, amplify local leadership and ensure that assistance reaches those who need it most,” Harvey added.

He urged participants at the conference to move beyond discussions and implement practical solutions aimed at protecting vulnerable children and building the resilience of affected communities.

Also speaking on the sidelines of the event, Director of the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, Pawel Mania, called for local organisations to play a central role in humanitarian interventions, arguing that they possess the local knowledge and are often the first responders during emergencies.

“We know that local actors are always the closest to the response. This is where the knowledge sits. This is where decisions should be made. They’re often marginalised by the international community,” Mania said.

He explained that the conference was designed to place local organisations at the heart of humanitarian discussions, enabling them to collaborate and learn from one another without being overshadowed by international agencies.

“We want to make sure that we not only invite local organisations or local partners to the conversation, but put them at the centre of the conversation and create space for peer-to-peer learning collaboration,” he said.

Mania noted that Nigeria has emerged as one of the Humanitarian Leadership Academy’s strongest hubs for digital humanitarian learning through its Kaya Connect platform, ranking among the top five countries globally by learner enrolment.

“Nigeria is one of our top five countries when it comes to the number of learners that want to access learning through the platform. For us, it’s telling that there’s so much need and hunger for knowledge on how to respond better,” he said.

He also highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in humanitarian response, saying the technology could improve emergency interventions if local actors are actively involved in shaping its development.

“We have a huge opportunity with AI. We are championing local voices by bringing them into conversations on where AI is heading and how AI can support humanitarian action. We are making sure that this conversation doesn’t always happen only in the Global North,” Mania said.