Food insecurity deepens in Nigeria as humanitarian aid decreases and extremist groups gain traction
In the heart of Nigeria's northeast, the town of Damboa finds itself on the frontline of survival. Situated approximately 90 kilometers (55 miles) south of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, Damboa was once a thriving regional farming hub[1]. However, jihadist violence has resurged, displacing many residents and leaving the town struggling with critically scarce food supplies[1].
The ongoing insurgency and substantial reductions in Western aid have plunged Damboa into a dire food situation[1][4][5]. Aid distributions provide meager rations that are insufficient and are expected to run out soon, exacerbated by cuts in international aid and soaring food inflation[1][4][5]. Over a million people in northeastern Nigeria, including Damboa’s residents, face starvation as food stocks dwindle and Western humanitarian support declines sharply[1][5].
Many internally displaced families, like those of Almata Modu and Aminata Adamu, survive on limited monthly aid rations that do not correspond to their actual family sizes, highlighting the acute scarcity and challenges in assistance coverage[1]. Aminata, who has received monthly rations for four family members despite her family growing to 11, agrees that food is insufficient[1].
The crisis represents one of the most severe global humanitarian emergencies, with food supplies in places like Damboa predicted to be exhausted by the end of July 2025 unless aid is urgently scaled up[3][5]. Humanitarian organizations continue efforts to address food security through market-based solutions and resilience programs, but these interventions struggle to meet the scale of need amid ongoing violence and resource constraints[3].
The timing of this food crisis is particularly unfortunate as June to September is known as the "lean season", the time between planting and harvest when families have little food reserves. This period is crucial for many families, especially those in Damboa, as they prepare for the upcoming dry season[2].
Thousands of people, including Almata Modu, have fled the countryside into towns like Damboa due to jihadist attacks[1]. The Maiduguri-Mafa highway has armed militias stationed a few kilometres apart to protect farmers[1]. Despite the desperate need for more food, only a few farmers dare to venture out, tending their fields under the protection of armed militias[2].
The World Food Programme (WFP) and Food and Agriculture Organization issued a June-to-September report warning of deteriorating critical levels of acute food insecurity. The report predicts that the conflict will intensify, economic hardships will persist, and floods are expected, all of which will contribute to the worsening food crisis[5].
In a bid to combat the insurgency, the Niger-Nigeria counter-terrorism collaboration has been strained due to the military being stretched thin by a separate banditry crisis and an economic crunch that has stiffened rural grievances[2]. ISWAP, an IS-aligned jihadist group, has become better organized[2].
The situation is dire, with 5 million "severely hungry" people in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states, the regions most affected by the jihadist insurgency[5]. Fanna Abdulraman, a 39-year-old mother of eight, cannot produce milk due to her own malnutrition, putting her six-month-old twins at risk[2].
"Lives will be lost" due to the lack of food, according to Chi Lael, Nigeria spokeswoman for the World Food Programme[2]. Dr John Ala, a WFP nutrition officer, warns that food insecurity and poverty could lead to increased insecurity due to desperate coping mechanisms[1]. The current food situation in Damboa is a grim reminder of the complex challenges facing Nigeria's northeast, and the urgent need for aid and support to prevent further loss of life.
[1] BBC News (2025). Nigeria: Damboa crisis - 'Lives will be lost' without food, says WFP. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-57156719
[2] The Guardian (2025). Nigeria: Millions face starvation as food crisis deepens in northeast. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/jun/29/nigeria-millions-face-starvation-as-food-crisis-deepens-in-northeast
[3] Reuters (2025). Nigeria's Borno state faces food crisis as insurgency intensifies. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/nigerias-borno-state-faces-food-crisis-insurgency-intensifies-2025-06-28/
[4] Al Jazeera (2025). Nigeria: Millions face starvation as aid dries up in northeast. [online] Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/28/nigeria-millions-face-starvation-as-aid-dries-up-in-northeast
[5] Devex (2025). Nigeria: WFP warns of severe food crisis in northeast. [online] Available at: https://www.devex.com/news/nigeria-wfp-warns-of-severe-food-crisis-in-northeast-97793
- The ongoing crisis in Damboa, situated in west Africa, is one of the most severe global humanitarian emergencies, with food supplies predicted to be depleted by the end of July 2025 unless international aid is urgently scaled up.
- In Damboa, a town in northeast Nigeria, internally displaced families, such as those of Almata Modu and Aminata Adamu, are surviving on limited monthly food rations that are often insufficient for their family sizes.
- Humanitarian organizations are struggling to address the food security crisis in Damboa and other affected regions in northeast Nigeria due to ongoing violence and resource constraints, as well as cuts in international aid and soaring food inflation.
- The timing of this food crisis, known locally as the "lean season", is particularly unfortunate as it coincides with the period between planting and harvest when families have little food reserves and are preparing for the upcoming dry season.
- The situation in Damboa is intertwined with politics, as the military's efforts to combat insurgency have been strained due to a separate banditry crisis and an economic crunch that has stiffened rural grievances.
- The World Food Programme (WFP) and other organizations have warned of rising crime-and-justice issues in response to the food crisis, as desperate coping mechanisms could lead to increased insecurity in the region.
- The current food situation in Damboa highlights the need for sustainable solutions in the areas of general-news, such as improving international cooperation, addressing root causes of conflict, and promoting a lifestyle that emphasizes health-and-wellness, nutrition, fitness-and-exercise, and sustainable food-and-drink production.
