A new global report jointly released by the United Nations Children’s Fund, World Health Organization, and the World Bank has sounded the alarm over worsening child malnutrition in Africa, revealing a disturbing rise in stunting among children across the continent.
According to the Joint Malnutrition Estimates 2025 Edition, Africa is the only region in the world where the number of children affected by stunting has increased over the past decade, rising from 61.7 million in 2012 to 64.8 million in 2024.
This is in stark contrast to global trends, where efforts to combat undernutrition have shown significant progress in other regions.
The report defines stunting as a condition resulting from chronic undernutrition, recurring infections, and insufficient psychosocial stimulation, which leads to children having low height for their age. It also severely affects brain development and long-term cognitive abilities.
“Malnutrition is not just about food; it’s a silent crisis that undermines a child’s physical and mental potential from the earliest days,” the report warned.
“Without urgent and sustained interventions, we risk losing an entire generation’s potential.”
Globally, 150.2 million children under five are stunted, 42.8 million suffer from wasting—with 12.2 million experiencing severe wasting, and 35.5 million are overweight, according to the latest findings.
Despite the global push to meet nutrition targets, the report indicates that less than a third of countries are on track to meet the 2030 target for reducing stunting, while only 17 per cent are making headway in tackling childhood overweight.
“Africa accounts for 43 per cent of the world’s stunted children, and that number is still climbing. This is deeply troubling,” the authors stated.
“It signals a halt in progress and reflects the urgent need for renewed commitment.”
The report also noted major data gaps that hinder accurate tracking, particularly in wasting cases.
It stresses the need for robust data systems, coordinated multi-sectoral action, and greater political will to address malnutrition in children and achieve the Sustainable Development Goal SDG 2.2, which aims to improve nutrition by 2030.
“Progress is too slow. Just 28 per cent of countries are currently ‘on track’ to halve stunting by 2030, and data is unavailable to assess progress in another 20 per cent,” the report emphasized. “More than a third of countries cannot even be assessed for wasting trends due to limited data.”
It calls for immediate investment in maternal and child health, food systems, and social protection programmes to tackle the root causes of undernutrition.
“A stunted child today could be a disadvantaged adult tomorrow,” the report concludes. “The time to act is now—before these children’s futures are lost to malnutrition.”
