The United Nations has issued a stark warning that around 420,000 Nigerian children are at risk of malnutrition in 2025, highlighting the urgent humanitarian challenges facing the country. According to UN reports, ongoing conflicts, climate shocks, and widespread food insecurity are the main drivers putting children in vulnerable regions at grave risk.
UN officials emphasized that malnutrition not only threatens children’s health and development but also has long-term consequences for education, productivity, and national growth. Acute malnutrition, if untreated, can lead to permanent physical and cognitive impairments and, in severe cases, death.
The situation is particularly dire in northern Nigeria, where insurgency, communal clashes, and crop failures have disrupted food production and access. Humanitarian agencies report that families in affected areas are often forced to skip meals, sell essential assets, or reduce children’s food intake to survive.
“The scale of the crisis is alarming,” said a UNICEF spokesperson. “Every child deserves access to adequate nutrition, yet hundreds of thousands are living on the brink of starvation. Immediate action is required to prevent a generation from being lost to malnutrition.”
International organizations are calling for increased aid, including emergency food supplies, therapeutic feeding programs, and initiatives to support local agriculture. The Nigerian government has also pledged to strengthen social safety nets, improve food distribution networks, and coordinate with international partners to respond to the crisis.
As awareness grows, advocacy groups are urging the public, policymakers, and the global community to act swiftly. With timely interventions, many of these 420,000 children could be spared from the devastating consequences of malnutrition.