UN Agencies List Nigeria among 16 Hunger Hotspots, Raise the Alarm over Looming Global Famine

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

A new report jointly released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)United Nations (UN) and the World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that acute food insecurity is deepening in Nigeria and 15 other counyries it described as hunger hotspots, which threatens to drive millions more into  famine or risk of famine.

The latest Hunger Hotspots report, which covered the period between November 2025 through May 2026, said that in 14 of the 16 hotspots¬ identified, conflict and violence are the primary drivers of hunger.

The FAO-WFP report warned of shrinking window to prevent millions more people facing acute food insecurity in 16 hotspots, adding that conflict and violence are driving extreme hunger in six major crises

“Time is quickly running out to avert widespread starvation in the areas of highest concern.

“Conflict, economic shocks, extreme weather, and critical funding shortfalls are exacerbating dire conditions. Despite the growing urgency to provide lifesaving assistance at scale, funding is perilously limited,” the report said.

It cited six countries and territories of highest concern, including Haiti, Mali, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen – where populations face an imminent risk of catastrophic hunger.

Six more countries – Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, and the Syrian Arab Republic, were classified as “very high concern.”

The other four hotspots are Burkina Faso, Chad, Kenya and the situation of the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

“As these hunger hotspots edge closer to catastrophic conditions, or even famine, humanitarian funding is falling dangerously short.  As of the end of October 2025, only $10.5 billion out of the $29 billion required to assist people most at risk had been received.

“Severe shortfalls are crippling emergency responses, forcing deep ration cuts and reducing access to food for the most vulnerable groups with refugee food assistance at a breaking point.

“Assistance coverage has dropped across most hunger hotspots. WFP has been forced to tighten targeting criteria and reduce assistance for refugees and displaced people.

“At the same time, critical nutrition and school feeding programmes have been suspended in some countries, leaving children, refugees, and displaced families at extreme risk,” the report said.

FAO warned that funding shortages are also critically undermining efforts to protect agricultural livelihoods, which are essential for stabilizing food production and preventing recurring crises.

“Without urgent financing, vital livelihood support – such as seeds, livestock health services, and anticipatory agricultural action – will not reach communities before planting seasons begin or new shocks occur. This will erode resilience and heighten the risk of future crises.

“Across the hunger hotspot countries, household food production and incomes remain insufficient to meet basic needs. Programmes that build resilience are now crucial to protect livelihoods and reduce dependence on emergency aid,” the Joint report said.

To prevent famine before it is too late, FAO and WFP stressed that famine is almost always predictable and preventable.  Together, they called on the international community to urgently refocus global attention on famine prevention and scale up investments in long-term food security and resilience.

“The world’s early warning systems work – this is fundamental for early action.

We must move from reacting to crises, to preventing them.

“Investing in livelihoods, resilience and social protection before hunger peaks will save lives and resources.  Famine prevention is not just a moral duty – it is a smart investment in long-term peace and stability. Peace is a prerequisite for food security and the right to food is a basic human right,” said FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu.

The two agencies urged governments, donors, and partners to heed the warnings signalled by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system and Cadre Harmonisé (CH), and act urgently before conditions reach catastrophic thresholds.

They also stressed the urgent need to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access in conflict-affected areas, so that life-saving food, nutrition, and agricultural assistance can reach those in need.

“We are on the brink of a completely preventable hunger catastrophe that threatens widespread starvation in multiple countries.

 “Mothers are skipping meals so their children can eat, and families are exhausting what little they have left as they struggle to survive. We urgently need new funding and unimpeded access – a failure to act now will only drive further instability, migration, and conflict,” said WFP Executive Director, Cindy McCain.

FAO and WFP emphasised that famine is preventable, but only with political will, leadership, adequate funding, and collective accountability. Millions of lives depend on decisive action now.

The bi-annual Hunger Hotspots report is developed with financial support from the European Union through the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC).