600+ Malnourished Children Die in 6 Months in Nigeria: MSF

More than 600 severely malnourished children have died in northern Nigeria within the first half of 2025, according to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The medical charity issued a stark warning on Friday, stating that a “severe malnutrition crisis” is unfolding in the region amid collapsing foreign aid and intensifying conflict.

Rising Malnutrition Cases

Between January and June 2025, cases of the most acute and deadly form of malnutrition among children have soared by 208% compared to the same period last year.

“Unfortunately, 652 children have already died in our facilities since the beginning of 2025 due to a lack of timely access to care,” MSF reported.

The crisis has been further fuelled by a combination of deteriorating factors:

• Cuts in foreign aid from the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union
• Surging food prices and inflation
• Worsening jihadist insurgency in northern regions

Foreign Aid Cuts and Their Impact

MSF’s country representative in Nigeria, Ahmed Aldikhari, stated that:

“The true scale of the crisis exceeds all predictions.”

He further emphasised that the funding shortfall has severely hampered treatment and care efforts.

Women and Mothers Also Affected

Malnutrition is not limited to children alone. MSF conducted a survey of 750 mothers and found that:

• Over 50% were acutely malnourished
• 13% suffered from severe acute malnutrition

These alarming figures highlight the intergenerational nature of the crisis, threatening both current and future populations.

Hunger on a National Scale

Across Nigeria, the World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that nearly 31 million people are facing acute hunger.

David Stevenson, the WFP’s Nigeria country chief, warned that without urgent funding, food and nutrition aid for 1.3 million people in northeast Nigeria will be suspended by the end of July.