Drastic cuts to humanitarian aid in north-eastern Nigeria are deepening a crisis that may bolster recruitment by Boko Haram militants, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned. The region, plagued by over a decade of insurgency, now faces worsening hunger and malnutrition following recent funding shortfalls that have forced WFP to suspend food support altogether.
Trust Mlambo, WFP’s head of operations in the area, cautioned that the lack of assistance could push desperate youths into the hands of militants. “If people can’t afford their next meal, they’ll be tempted to join,” he said.
The crisis is acute in areas like Gwoza, a town near Boko Haram’s forest hideouts in Borno State. Displaced mother Aisha Abubakar, whose family was torn apart by the conflict, relies on humanitarian aid to survive. Like 1.4 million other internally displaced people in the region, her livelihood depends entirely on external support support that has now dried up.
Nigeria’s north-east has long suffered under Boko Haram’s violent campaign. Since 2009, the jihadist group has killed thousands, displaced over two million, and disrupted farming, education, and healthcare systems. Aid agencies say the situation is worsening. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reports that 652 children have died of severe malnutrition in 2025 alone.
The cuts stem partly from a global reshuffling of aid priorities, including reductions by major donors like the US, UK, and EU. Meanwhile, Nigeria grapples with inflation, currency devaluation, and governance challenges that have compounded the crisis.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima recently acknowledged the problem, saying 40% of Nigerian children under five suffer from malnutrition. But with over 150 malnutrition clinics on the brink of closure, on-the-ground action remains urgent.
For mothers like Hauwa Badamasi, whose daughter Amina is now malnourished, the future looks bleak. “The aid has stopped, and people are killed on the farm. What are we going to do with our lives?” she asked.
As WFP warehouses sit empty, the threat looms not just in hunger but in the growing strength of a militant movement ready to exploit despair.
