No fewer than 36.2 million Nigerians across 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory are projected to face acute food and nutrition insecurity during the 2026 lean season, according to Save the Children International.
The organisation raised the alarm at the Humanitarian Xchange Abuja 2026 conference held on Tuesday, warning that conflict, climate-related shocks, soaring food prices and shrinking humanitarian funding are worsening the country’s humanitarian situation.
Speaking at the conference, the Country Director of Save the Children Nigeria, Duncan Harvey, said findings from the latest Cadre Harmonisé analysis indicate that millions of Nigerians could experience severe food shortages between June and August.
“About 36.2 million people are expected to face acute food and nutrition insecurity during the lean season. Of this number, two million 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,” Harvey said.
He noted that children and mothers remain the most vulnerable, particularly in conflict-affected communities.
“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 added.
Harvey attributed the worsening situation to rising food costs, poor dietary diversity, limited access to healthcare, insecurity, displacement and climate-related challenges.
He also expressed concern over declining global humanitarian funding, saying aid organisations are struggling to meet growing needs.
“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.
Harvey called for stronger collaboration among governments, development partners, humanitarian organisations, donors, academia and the private sector to improve the effectiveness of humanitarian interventions.
“No single organisation can address the scale of today’s challenges alone. Better coordination will reduce duplication, improve the use of resources, strengthen local leadership and ensure assistance reaches those who need it most,” he said.
Also speaking, the Director of the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, Pawel Mania, stressed the need to place local organisations at the centre of humanitarian response, describing them as the first responders with the deepest understanding of affected communities.
“Local actors are always the closest to the response. This is where the knowledge sits and where decisions should be made, yet they are often marginalised by the international community,” Mania said.
He explained that the conference was designed to promote collaboration and peer learning among local humanitarian organisations.
Mania also disclosed that Nigeria is among the top five countries using the academy’s Kaya Connect digital learning platform, reflecting a growing demand for humanitarian knowledge and skills.
On the role of technology, he said artificial intelligence presents an opportunity to strengthen humanitarian action, provided local organisations are actively involved in shaping how the technology is developed and deployed.
“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, ensuring those conversations are not limited to the Global North,” he said.
