Nigeria has overtaken war-torn Sudan as Africa’s epicentre of child malnutrition, with 600,000 children suffering acute hunger, according to UNICEF.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that Nigeria now has the highest number of malnourished children in Africa and the second highest globally, surpassing war-torn Sudan.
At a Monday briefing in Abuja, Nemat Hajeebhoy, UNICEF Chief of Nutrition, said, “Nigeria has the highest number of malnourished children in Africa and the second in the world,” noting that 600,000 children are affected by acute malnutrition, half of whom are at risk of death.
Serigne Loum of the World Food Programme added that Nigeria also tops Africa in food insecurity.
The grim data was shared during the launch of the 2025 lean season multisectoral response by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
OCHA head, Trond Jensen, said $300 million is urgently needed, with $160 million allocated to food, nutrition, water, and sanitation.
“This is the bare minimum we need,” Jensen stated, warning that while malnutrition is rising, funding has declined.