$516m required to tackle malnutrition with life-saving assistance in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe – coalitions warn

Stephen Oladepo, convener of the Platform for Youth-Led Organisations in Humanitarian Action in Nigeria, supported by ActionAid Nigeria, has raised alarm that millions of children, particularly in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States, are at risk of hunger and severe malnutrition if action is not taken to save lives in the region.

Stephen made this appeal during a press briefing organised by coalitions of non-governmental organisations in Maiduguri on Tuesday, noting that the recent escalation of insecurity has triggered displacement and limited access to farmland, markets, healthcare, and other essential services.

According to him, donor agencies and the private sector should urgently release and increase funding ahead of the peak of the lean season to save lives and reduce costs, urging that the crisis requires over $516 million to reach 2.5 million of the most vulnerable people with life-saving assistance

He stressed that, according to 2026 nutrition projections, approximately 3 million children under the age of five across Nigeria are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM).

“Of these numbers, about 1 million children are in the Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states, where insecurity, displacement, and breakdown of basic services continue to intensify vulnerability. Without urgent intervention, many of these children face irreversible harm or death,” he warned.

According to the 2026 HNRP, the crisis is further worsened by the deterioration of basic infrastructure caused by years of conflict, including significant damage to health and water systems, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks.

“At the same time, ongoing protection violations, including attacks on civilians, restrictions on movement, and loss of livelihoods, continue to erode survival systems for affected communities.

“Responding to this crisis will require over $516 million to reach 2.5 million of the most vulnerable people with lifesaving assistance. However, funding remains critically insufficient and is expected to decline further, creating a widening gap between humanitarian needs and available resources at a time when vulnerability is at its peak,” Stephen noted.

According to the same humanitarian analysis, these needs are being driven by a convergence of many factors, including protracted armed conflict, displacement, recurrent floods, disease outbreaks, and severe disruptions to livelihoods.

“In the BAY states alone, more than 2 million people remain internally displaced, with limited access to farmland, markets, and essential services, deepening dependence on humanitarian assistance.” Stephen disclosed.