Over 40 million people in West and Central Africa are struggling with hunger during the 2024 post-harvest season, according to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
The crisis is projected to worsen, with 52.7 million people affected by mid-2025, including 3.4 million at emergency hunger levels (IPC/CH Phase 4), the WFP stated.
Despite improved security and rainfall in parts of the Sahel, acute food insecurity persists, particularly in Nigeria, Cameroon, and Chad, which account for over half the region’s food-insecure population.
Conflict, displacement, economic instability, and climate shocks are cited as major drivers of the crisis, exacerbated by severe flooding affecting six million people this year.
The WFP, FAO, and UNICEF have called for urgent funding, resilience programmes, and investment in sustainable food systems to address the deteriorating situation.