The United Nations has listed Nigeria among 16 countries at risk of severe hunger crises due to conflicts, economic instability, and a sharp drop in humanitarian funding.
This was revealed in a joint report released on Wednesday by the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Programme.
According to the agencies, countries like Haiti, Mali, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen are facing an imminent risk of “catastrophic hunger.”
Others, including Nigeria, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Syria, Myanmar, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Kenya, were classified as “very high concern.”
WFP Executive Director, Cindy McCain, warned that the world is “on the brink of a completely preventable hunger catastrophe” and urged governments and donors to act fast.
“Failure to act will only drive further instability, migration, and conflict,” she said.
The report noted that only $10.5 billion of the $29 billion required to assist those at risk had been received, forcing major aid cuts across several countries.
WFP disclosed that it had reduced food assistance for refugees and displaced persons, while some school feeding programmes had been suspended due to funding shortages.
FAO also warned that limited funds were affecting agricultural recovery efforts, including the distribution of seeds and livestock health services, which are key to preventing recurring food crises.
