West and Central Africa faces deepening food crisis - UN agencies call for enhanced humanitarian action and lasting hunger solutions

Despite a marginal drop in the number of acutely food insecure people compared to last year - linked to improved security and above-average rainfall in some parts of the Sahel, food insecurity is worsening. The number of people facing emergency levels of hunger (IPC/CH Phase 4) has surged by 70 percent during the post-harvest season and 22 percent during the June-August 2025 lean season. 

Countries most affected include Nigeria, Cameroon, and Chad - which together account for well over half of the total food insecure population - while forcibly displaced people bear the brunt of the food crisis. This situation underscores the urgent need for enhanced humanitarian action and long-term solutions that effectively tackle the food crisis engulfing the Sahel and the Lake Chad region.

“The vicious cycle of hunger in West and Central Africa can be broken, but it requires a fundamental shift in our approach,” said Margot van der Velden, WFP’s Regional Director for Western Africa. “We need timely, flexible, and predictable funding to reach crisis-affected people with lifesaving assistance, and massive investments in preparedness, anticipatory action and resilience-building to empower communities and reduce humanitarian needs." 

Food insecurity in the region is driven by conflict, displacement, economic instability, and severe climate shocks. Over 10 million people have been forcibly displaced in the region, with significant numbers in Burkina Faso, Chad, Cameroon, Mauritania, Niger, and Nigeria. Forcibly displaced people are most often cut off from their fields and grazing areas making farming - vital for food security – impossible. Furthermore, climate shocks - especially the deadly floods this year that affected six million people - claim lives and destroy livelihoods, disrupting agricultural productivity. 

“The continuing deterioration of food security and nutrition despite significant efforts by governments and partners, emphasizes the need for an urgent paradigm shift in response,” said Robert Guei, FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for West Africa. “We need to strengthen and implement joint integrated resilience programmes in the most affected countries and beyond. Additionally, we need to facilitate smallholder farmers' access to locally produced fertilizers to boost sustainable, affordable, and nutritious food production.”

High food prices and households’ low purchasing power are compounding the crisis, making it impossible for many families to afford even basic nutritious food. These economic issues are particularly severe in coastal countries such as Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, where the cost of living has skyrocketed.

The situation is significantly affecting the nutritional status of children. In 2024, an estimated 16.3 million children were expected to suffer from acute malnutrition, including 5 million in its severe form. Recent nutrition surveys conducted in the Sahel also reveal a deteriorating situation in several regions. 

“Good nutrition in the early years of life is the bedrock of child survival, development and a future healthy adult life. Every dollar invested in nutrition yields up to $16 in economic returns through improved health, enhanced education outcomes, and increased productivity throughout life," said the UNICEF Regional Director, Gilles Fagninou. “We must ensure a reliable and sufficient supply of therapeutic food to treat children under 5 in the region, while at the same time we seek to invest for the long-term to prevent malnutrition happening in the first place.”

With sufficient and predictable funding, FAO, UNICEF, and WFP will continue working with national governments, scaling up their ongoing efforts to alleviate hunger, build resilient communities, move towards sustainable food systems and lift people out of poverty through resilience-building programmes.

Since 2018, WFP and UNICEF have been working with national governments across the Sahel tackling the root causes of hunger and building a more robust and resilient system that provides affordable, accessible and nutritious food to families and communities. Using a multi-sectoral approach, the two agencies are creating more opportunities for both people and systems to better prepare for and cope amid recurrent shocks and crises. 

Note to editors:

For more information on the Cadre Harmonisé, please visit this website 

* The overall food security figures include Cadre Harmonisé for West and Central Africa and IPC data for Central African Republic. 

Photos and videos (B-rolls + interviews) are available here.

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About WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. Follow us on Twitter @wfp_media; @WFP_WAfrica and @WFP_FR; Facebook, and YouTube.

About FAO

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to eliminate hunger. Its goal is to achieve food security for all and to ensure regular and adequate access to good quality food for all, enabling people to lead healthy and active lives. With over 194 member countries, FAO works in more than 130 countries around the world. FAO’s primary language accounts on Twitter are @FAO, @FAOArabic, @FAOenEspanol, @FAOenFrancais

About UNICEF

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every