• The United Nations warns that 35 million Nigerians may face acute hunger between June and August 2026
• The crisis is expected to hit Northern Nigeria the hardest as UN says nearly one in seven Nigerians could experience food insecurity during the lean season
• UN appeals for urgent international funding to scale up humanitarian assistance

Nigeria may be heading into one of its worst hunger crises in recent years, as the United Nations has warned that about 35 million people could face acute food insecurity between June and August 2026.

In a statement released on Friday, May 22, the UN Humanitarian Country Team in New York said the country is experiencing a worsening food crisis ahead of the annual lean season.

“Nearly one in seven people, that is 35 million people nationwide in Nigeria, are likely to face acute food insecurity during this year’s lean season, which runs from June to August,” the organisation stated.

The UN noted that the scale of the crisis places Nigeria among the countries with the highest hunger burdens globally, with northern communities expected to suffer the most severe impact.

According to the organisation, delays in humanitarian support could push millions of vulnerable households into deeper hardship.

“If assistance is further delayed, millions of families will be forced to reduce meals further, sell assets, or withdraw their children from school with the long-term impact that we know it has,” the statement added.

The UN further revealed that an estimated 6.4 million children across North-East and North-West Nigeria are projected to suffer acute malnutrition in 2026.

To address the looming emergency, the global body called for urgent international funding to expand life-saving interventions across affected communities.

“Our partners and we are appealing for urgent funding to scale up life-saving assistance,” the UN said.

Despite the growing humanitarian need, funding remains inadequate. The organisation disclosed that the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, valued at 516 million dollars, is only slightly above 40 per cent funded.

Data from the latest humanitarian response report showed that just 215 million dollars had been received as of May 2026, leaving a significant funding gap as the lean season draws closer.

UN allocates $110 million to African countries, others amid global aid cuts

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the United Nations’ Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocated $110 million to address neglected humanitarian crises in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, even as global aid funding continues to decline.

Targeted countries include Sudan, Chad, Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Honduras, Mauritania, Niger, Somalia, Venezuela, and Zambia.

Tom Fletcher, the UN’s top humanitarian official, highlighted that more than 300 million people worldwide urgently require assistance.