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. Related News Biowarfare and Africa: How prepared is the continent for a biological attack? BusinessDay at 25: A silver jubilee of excellence in business journalism Nigeria's recapitalisation puzzle: More capital, less credit
