Over 600 Malnourished Children Die in Six Months in Nigeria

More than 600 malnourished children have died in northern Nigeria over six months due to inadequate care as foreign aid dwindles, a medical charity has warned.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) described northern Nigeria—already grappling with insurgency and banditry—as facing a severe malnutrition crisis.

In the first half of 2025, MSF treated nearly 70,000 children for malnutrition in Katsina state, with nearly 10,000 requiring hospitalisation. Cases of nutritional oedema—the deadliest form of malnutrition—rose by 208 percent compared to the same period in 2024.

“Unfortunately, 652 children have died in our facilities since the start of 2025 due to lack of timely care,” the charity said in a statement.

Significant cuts in foreign aid, triggered by reduced overseas spending by the US, Britain, and the EU, combined with rising living costs and increased jihadist attacks, have worsened the situation.

Ahmed Aldikhari, MSF’s Nigeria representative, said these funding cuts are severely limiting treatment and care. He added, “The true scale of the crisis exceeds all predictions.”

An MSF survey of 750 mothers revealed that over half were acutely malnourished, including 13 percent with severe acute malnutrition.

Katsina state nutrition officer Abdulhadi Abdulkadir acknowledged the severity of malnutrition but suggested the MSF figures might be higher than official data, which his administration has yet to confirm.

Abdulkadir highlighted that northern Katsina, bordering Niger and located in the semi-desert Sahel region, faces the worst malnutrition due to harsh climate limiting food production.

In southern Katsina, farming is hindered by violent bandit attacks, worsening food insecurity. Banditry and kidnappings have spread throughout Nigeria, primarily affecting rural areas.

The Katsina government allocated 500 million naira (about $330,000) to nutrition programs last year and doubled the funding this year.

Across Nigeria’s population of roughly 230 million, nearly 31 million people face acute hunger, according to the UN’s food agency chief, David Stevenson.

The World Food Programme recently warned it may have to halt emergency food and nutrition aid for 1.3 million people in northeast Nigeria by the end of July due to severe funding shortages.