Nigeria Edges Toward a Hunger Emergency as Global Leaders Call for Action

Nigeria is on the brink of a deepening hunger crisis, with new projections warning that over 33 million people could face severe food shortages and malnutrition by 2026 unless swift, coordinated intervention takes place.

Findings from the 2025 Global Hunger Index (GHI) paint a bleak picture. Nigeria ranks 115th out of 123 countries, signalling a serious and escalating hunger burden. The nation’s score of 32.8 is largely driven by a significant rise in undernourishment: nearly one in five Nigerians (19.9%) does not have enough food to eat.

Children remain the most vulnerable. According to the report, 33.8% of children under five are stunted, a long-term effect of chronic malnutrition, while 11.6% are wasted, reflecting acute and life-threatening undernutrition.

As concerns mount, global and national voices are amplifying calls for urgent action. Pope Leo XIV, marking the Church’s “Jubilee of the Poor,” condemned widening poverty gaps and urged governments and Catholic communities to prioritize people living at the margins. Since becoming pontiff six months ago, the U.S.-born Pope has placed social justice at the heart of his mission.

Also, a former Nigerian presidential candidate Peter Obi also weighed in, urging the country to embrace bold, transformative strategies that can lift millions out of poverty and set Africa on a trajectory toward sustained development. He stressed that Nigeria cannot afford superficial reforms at a time of mounting hardship.

Earlier, the Secretary-General of the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), Abubakar Kende, warned that hunger and malnutrition in the country were worsening at an alarming rate. He unveiled the organisation’s new Nutrition Advocacy Plan, designed to rally policymakers, mobilise communities, and drive public awareness around the crisis.

Kende expressed confidence that with renewed support from partners and philanthropists such as Othman, the Red Cross would be able to scale its humanitarian interventions and reach more vulnerable communities.

“The society is committed to making a real difference in the fight against hunger and malnutrition,” he said, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between stakeholders, institutions, and the public.