Nigeria faces severe hunger crisis, 17 million at risk by 2027: Report

Nigeria is projected to face a deepening hunger crisis, with at least 16.99 million citizens potentially experiencing acute hunger by January 2027, according to the latest projections from the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET). While this number represents a decrease from the current estimated 20 million to 20.99 million facing hunger in July 2026, it remains alarmingly high compared to previous years and the country's five-year average.

FEWS NET, a U.S. government-funded early warning body, places Nigeria fourth globally among countries facing the highest number of hungry people. It ranks behind Sudan, Pakistan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but ahead of Yemen and Afghanistan. Nigeria is also among four nations expected to contribute over 10 percent of the total 145 million to 155 million people projected to need food assistance across 30 monitored countries by January 2027.

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Despite the completion of the main harvest in December, staple food prices are expected to remain high as production and supply disruptions coincide with high market reliance among conflict-affected households who are unable to cultivate.

The report attributes the escalating crisis primarily to ongoing conflict that disrupts livelihoods, hinders cultivation, and restricts household income, especially in northern Nigeria. Even with the main harvest expected by December, staple food prices are predicted to remain high due to production and supply disruptions, coupled with high market reliance among conflict-affected households unable to cultivate their lands.

Hardest-hit communities in the North-East, isolated by insecurity and movement restrictions, will remain in the "Emergency" phase of hunger severity. This classification, the fourth of five stages on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification scale, signifies households facing significant food consumption gaps, leading to high malnutrition and rising death rates, or resorting to selling essential assets for survival. The report indicates that Nigeria's projected hungry population represents between 5 and 10 percent of its total population.

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Emergency is the fourth of five hunger severity stages on the internationally recognised Integrated Food Security Phase Classification scale and is closely followed by famine.