Northern Nigeria is facing a worsening malnutrition crisis that requires immediate and sustained response. Recent data paints a grim picture. Nigeria is in the enviable position of having the second highest number of stunted children in the world, with an alarming prevalence of 32% among children under the age of five. Even more troubling is the fact that although around 2 million children suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), only 20% receive life-saving treatment.
According to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the situation in 2024 is particularly dire. MSF’s Dr. Sanjana Thirima emphasizes that the number of severely malnourished children requiring treatment has doubled in just one year. For example, MSF’s inpatient therapeutic feeding center in Maiduguri admitted 1,250 children in April 2024, compared to half that number in April 2023. The facility has now expanded to 350 beds, far exceeding its original 200-bed capacity, but is still struggling to meet capacity. request.
Similar crises are occurring in other parts of northern Nigeria. In Bauchi State, the number of severely malnourished children admitted to MSF’s Kafin Madaki Hospital jumped 188% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Northwestern states such as Zamfara, Kano and Sokoto are also reporting an alarming increase in cases. Ranges from 20% to 100%.
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The causes of this crisis are manifold. Insecurity continues to worsen in the region, displacing thousands of people, disrupting agricultural activities and limiting access to food. Furthermore, frequent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, shortages of health facilities and human resources, and devastating floods are exacerbating the situation. As MSF International President Dr. Christos Cristo pointed out, this crisis is the result of a combination of challenges, stretching the region’s already fragile health systems to their limits.
Despite the severity of the crisis, the response has been woefully inadequate. In May 2024, the United Nations and Nigerian authorities launched an appeal for $306.4 million to address the nutritional needs of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. However, this appeal falls short of addressing the needs of other affected areas, such as Bauchi and Zamfara, where the crisis continues to unfold.
The stakes are high. Malnutrition is more than just a health problem; it has long-term social and economic consequences. Children who survive malnutrition often face lifelong challenges, including impaired cognitive development and reduced academic performance, reducing future productivity and widening the poverty trap. If we don’t act now, thousands of children will suffer needlessly and the region’s socio-economic challenges will deepen.
As Dr. Tillima rightly emphasizes, “Everyone must intervene to save lives and ensure that children in northern Nigeria are freed from malnutrition and its devastating, if not fatal, long-term consequences. There is an urgent need for long-term, sustainable solutions that go beyond emergency response and address the root causes of malnutrition. This includes improving food security, expanding access to health care, scaling up vaccination campaigns, and rebuilding infrastructure to reduce the effects of climate disasters.
The path forward will require collaboration across all sectors, including federal and state governments, humanitarian organizations, the private sector, and international partners. A comprehensive response will require sufficient funding, political will and a determined commitment to addressing the structural challenges that perpetuate malnutrition.
The lives and futures of millions of children in northern Nigeria depend on decisive action. This crisis is a stark reminder that malnutrition is not just a health statistic, but a matter of survival.
Public Relations Analyst Adeniyi Olorunfunmi writes from Kaduna
