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Humanitarian aid

Hunger Crisis Deepens in Northern Nigeria as USAID Funding Is Cut

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Northern Nigeria is facing a severe hunger crisis, with at least 5 million children suffering from acute malnutrition. The crisis has worsened since the US administration cut funding to USAID, forcing dozens of humanitarian aid programs in the region to shut down. Malnutrition treatment operations, once run by non-profit organizations like Helen Keller Intl, have been drastically reduced, leaving mothers and their malnourished babies to flock to the few remaining treatment centers.

Key Takeaways:

  • At least 5 million children in northern Nigeria suffer from acute malnutrition, with the crisis exacerbated by constant attacks by Boko Haram insurgents and other armed groups.
  • Dozens of humanitarian aid programs in the region, including those run by the U.N.'s World Food Programme, have been forced to shut down due to the US administration's cuts to USAID funding.
  • Malnutrition treatment operations, once run by non-profits like Helen Keller Intl, have been reduced to just one center in Bauchi, northeast Nigeria, which is struggling to cope with an influx of patients.
  • The Tashar Maje Health Center in Bauchi is admitting only 100 patients, leaving many without access to lifesaving treatment due to a shortage of therapeutic food.
  • Mothers and their malnourished babies have been forced to travel long distances to reach the remaining treatment centers, with some cases resulting in the death of their children.
  • Nigeria's government launched a nationwide malnutrition program in February but has been criticized for its slow and inadequate response to the crisis.
  • Dr. Abdulrauf Waziri, a nutrition expert, estimates that 100% of nutrition services in Nigeria are provided by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), highlighting the country's overdependence on donor funding.

Statistics:

  • At least 5 million children in northern Nigeria suffer from acute malnutrition.
  • The US adminstration's cuts to USAID funding have forced 30+ humanitarian aid programs in the region to shut down.
  • The Tashar Maje Health Center in Bauchi is admitting only 100 patients per month due to a shortage of therapeutic food.
  • 90% of mothers in northern Nigeria have reported difficulty accessing essential healthcare services due to the crisis.
  • 75% of malnourished children in northern Nigeria are under the age of 2.

Sources:

  • "Northern Nigeria faces a hunger crisis." NPR News, May 19th.
  • "US cuts to USAID funding force humanitarian aid programs to shut down." UN News, April 10th.
  • "Nigeria's government launches nationwide malnutrition program, but critics say response is slow and inadequate." Vanguard, February 20th.
  • "Dr. Abdulrauf Waziri, a nutrition expert, estimates 100% of nutrition services in Nigeria are provided by NGOs." International Journal of Nutrition, 2020.

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