Hunger crisis intensifies in West and Central Africa

Over 40 million people in West and Central Africa are currently facing severe food insecurity, with this number projected to climb to 52 million by mid-2025, according to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP).

A newly released WFP report highlights that 3.4 million individuals are experiencing “emergency levels of hunger,” marking a 70% increase in such cases since the summer. The crisis is being driven by ongoing conflict, displacement, economic instability, and severe climate shocks.

The Sahel conflict and Sudanese civil war have displaced over 10 million people across the region, while catastrophic flooding in Nigeria and Chad earlier this year has worsened the situation.

Despite the alarming figures, the report notes a slight improvement compared to last year’s estimate, with 7.7 million fewer people facing food insecurity. This improvement is attributed to better-than-average rainfall and marginal security gains, though these factors are unlikely to persist.

The WFP warns that food insecurity will affect nearly one in ten people in West and Central Africa next year, a region home to over 500 million people, according to World Bank estimates.

Margot van der Velden, WFP’s regional director for Western Africa, emphasized the need for proactive solutions to break the “vicious cycle of hunger.”

“Timely, flexible, and predictable funding is essential to deliver lifesaving assistance to crisis-affected populations,” she stated. “In addition, massive investments in preparedness, anticipatory action, and resilience-building are critical to empowering communities and reducing humanitarian needs.”