Nigeria
Violence & Climate Shocks
Poverty, conflict and climate shocks are driving over 25 million people in Nigeria into acute levels of hunger.
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14 Years of Conflict
In northeast Nigeria, conflict has displaced 2.2 million people from their homes and pushed over 4 million people into severe levels of hunger. Attacks by armed groups have forced people from their homes and hampered humanitarian access.
6.4M
children under age 5 in the northeast, northwest and northcentral states are acutely malnourished
34.7M
people are projected to face acute food insecurity between June and August 2026
3.6M
people in the northeast, northwest and northcentral states are internally displaced
Nigeria Facts
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Population: 244 million people.
Background: Nigeria became independent in 1960. The country is a federal republic and has experienced periods of political instability, including military rule and civil conflict, though it has remained under civilian democratic governance since 1999.
Geography & Climate: Nigeria is a large country in West Africa, with a coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. The country has a predominantly tropical climate, with distinct wet and dry seasons that vary by region.
Economy: Nigeria’s economy is heavily dependent on oil and gas, which remain the country’s primary source of export earnings and foreign exchange. While agriculture employs a large share of the population and contributes significantly to GDP, domestic food production has not kept pace with rapid population growth and faces persistent challenges including insecurity, climate variability, limited irrigation and high post-harvest losses. As a result, Nigeria relies on imports to meet a substantial share of its food needs, particularly cereals such as wheat and rice, purchased largely using foreign currency earned from petroleum exports.
Triple Threats: Conflict, Insecurity and Coronavirus
April 2020
With 665 confirmed cases of coronavirus, conflict is again driving hunger at a menacing pace in Nigeria’s northeast. An upsurge in violence – with renewed attacks by armed groups and counter-insurgency operations by the military – has resulted in a fresh wave of displacement, cutting off access to farming lands essential for food and livelihoods.
Meeting the Challenge
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) uses smart, innovative solutions to support Nigerian families across the region. These innovations include livelihood programs, SCOPE registration, truck convoys and UNHAS.
Resilience
WFP provides Nigerian communities with high-quality, locally-sourced seeds, bolstering families’ food stores throughout the lean season. WFP will also provide cash transfers, tools, and vocational training to communities in need.
SCOPE
This blockchain technology helps WFP collect names, fingerprints and photos when registering refugees. The SCOPE process reduces loss and theft while allowing WFP to better monitor and evaluate food distributions.
UNHAS
Managed by WFP, the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) helps transport aid workers – as well as vaccines, medicine and medical equipment to areas not easily reachable by land or sea – to families in crisis.
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