The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned of an impending humanitarian disaster, saying that over one million vulnerable Nigerians in the North-East could lose life-saving food assistance within weeks due to severe funding shortages.

The agency disclosed that it urgently needs $129 million to sustain operations in northeast Nigeria for the next six months. Without these funds, WFP may be forced to reduce food support drastically, providing aid to only 72,000 people, leaving hundreds of thousands of displaced families without emergency food and nutrition assistance.

The warning comes as Nigeria faces one of its worst hunger crises in a decade, with nearly 35 million people projected to face acute and severe food insecurity during the 2026 lean season. In Borno State, about 15,000 people are already at risk of catastrophic hunger (IPC Phase 5), just one step away from famine.

WFP Nigeria Country Director, David Stevenson, cautioned that cutting aid at this critical moment could trigger devastating humanitarian, security, and economic consequences. “Humanitarian solutions remain one of the last stabilizing forces preventing mass displacement and regional spillover,” he said.

The agency reported that renewed violence in northern Nigeria has destroyed food reserves, displaced families, and worsened hunger. In the past four months, about 3.5 million Nigerians were displaced, with 80% in the North, while malnutrition rates in several northern states have reached critical levels.

Since 2015, WFP has supported nearly two million women, men, and children annually in conflict-affected areas, combining emergency aid with resilience-building programs.

However, limited resources now raise fears that displaced persons may be forced to migrate or, in desperation, join insurgent groups to feed their families.