By Nathaniel Shaibu
About 36.2 million Nigerians across 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory are expected to face acute food and nutrition insecurity during the ongoing 2026 lean season, Save the Children International has warned.
The organisation said the worsening humanitarian crisis, driven by conflict, climate shocks, rising food prices and dwindling global humanitarian funding, requires urgent intervention to avert further deterioration, particularly among children and mothers.
Speaking at the Humanitarian Xchange Abuja 2026 conference on Tuesday, themed “Strengthening Local Voices, Partnerships and Innovations in Humanitarian Response”, Save the Children Nigeria Country Director, Duncan Harvey, said the latest Cadre Harmonisé analysis showed that 36.2 million people would experience acute food and nutrition insecurity between June and August.
“Among them, two million people are projected to be in Emergency levels of food insecurity, while more than 10,000 people in Borno State could face catastrophic conditions if urgent action is not taken,” Harvey said.
He described the situation facing children as particularly alarming, noting that they, alongside mothers, remain the worst affected by the crisis.
“In Borno State alone, more than 758,000 people are expected to face emergency levels of food insecurity, while malnutrition rates remain critically high in areas such as Mobbar, Nganzai and Maiduguri,” he said.
Harvey attributed the worsening crisis to soaring food prices, poor dietary diversity, limited access to healthcare, conflict, displacement and climate-related shocks. He also warned that humanitarian operations were coming under increasing strain due to global funding cuts.
“The humanitarian landscape is becoming increasingly complex. Around the world, we are witnessing growing insecurity, escalating conflicts and worsening climate crises. At the same time, global funding cuts are placing enormous pressure on the humanitarian sector, forcing difficult choices at a moment when needs continue to rise,” he added.
Harvey stressed that stronger coordination among governments, humanitarian organisations, donors, academia and the private sector was critical to addressing Nigeria’s growing humanitarian needs.
“The need for stronger coordination among humanitarian actors has never been greater. No single organisation can address the scale of today’s challenges alone. When we coordinate effectively, we reduce duplication, use resources more efficiently, amplify local leadership and ensure that assistance reaches those who need it most,” he said.
He urged participants at the conference to translate discussions into concrete action to protect vulnerable children and strengthen the resilience of affected communities. Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, the Director of the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, Pawel Mania, said local organisations must be placed at the centre of humanitarian response because they possess the knowledge and are the first responders during crises.
He said international organisations often overlooked local actors despite their proximity to affected communities. “We know that local actors are always the closest to the response. This is where the knowledge sits. This is where decisions should be made. They’re often marginalised by the international community,” Mania said.
He added that the conference was designed to create space for local organisations to learn from one another and collaborate without being overshadowed by international actors.
“We want to make sure that we not only invite local organisations or local partners to the conversation, but put them at the centre of the conversation and create space for peer-to-peer learning collaboration,” he said.
Mania said Nigeria had emerged as one of the academy’s leading countries for humanitarian learning through its digital platform, Kaya Connect. According to him, the platform has recorded nearly one million learners globally over the past decade, with Nigeria ranking among the top five countries by enrolment.
“Nigeria is one of our top five countries when it comes to the number of learners that want to access learning through the platform. For us, it’s telling that there’s so much need and hunger for knowledge on how to respond better,” he said.
On the role of technology, Mania said artificial intelligence could significantly strengthen humanitarian action if local actors were included in shaping its development.
“We have a huge opportunity with AI. We are championing local voices by bringing them into conversations on where AI is heading and how AI can support humanitarian action. We are making sure that this conversation doesn’t always happen only in the Global North,” he said.
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