A report by Save the Children International (SCI) has asserted that 15.6 million children in Nigeria will be on the brink of hunger crisis from June to August unless they receive essential food and cash assistance.
The report said escalating insecurity, prolonged conflicts, banditry, and soaring food prices are exacerbating the situation, painting a dire picture for the country.
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According to Cadre Harmonisé, a regional framework monitoring food insecurity, approximately 32 million Nigerians, including the aforementioned children, are poised to experience alarming levels of hunger between June and August unless immediate food and cash aid is provided.
It further revealed a 25 percent increase in the number of children facing hunger compared to the previous year, with over 3.4 million additional children, averaging 9,000 per day, being plunged into food insecurity.
The Save the Children’s country director in Nigeria, Duncan Harvey, said the already dire hunger situation is worsening due to violence, insecurity, and rising prices, leaving over 15 million children hungry nationwide.
Particularly in the north, where violence is rampant, one in three children in states like Borno, Yobe, Katsina, and Zamfara, do not know where their next meal will come from.
The report highlights the urgency for action, citing the IPC scale, with Phase 3 indicating a crisis, Phase 4 an emergency, and Phase 5 reaching famine-like conditions. Alarmingly, at least 490,000 children, primarily in Borno and Katsina, are expected to face catastrophic hunger levels (IPC4).
The group urged governments at all levels in Nigeria to prioritize food production and distribution, incentivize climate-resistant crops, and calls for global leaders to address the root causes of food insecurity and malnutrition.
Moreover, the organisation stresses the need for collaboration among governments, humanitarian organizations, climate groups, and the private sector to mitigate the crisis effectively.