The hunger crisis is set to get worse in West and Central Africa—why and what to do about it
Countries in West and Central Africa are facing a food crisis with multiple causes. Estimates in late December 2025 suggested that 41.8 million people were already in crisis or worse in October-December 2025. The number was expected to rise to 52.8 million in June-August 2026. IFPRI researchers Oliver Kiptoo Kirui and Chibuzo Nwagboso explain how serious the situation is.
- food security
- Nigeria
By Oliver Kiptoo Kirui and Chibuzo NwagbosoApril 2, 2026
Countries in West and Central Africa are facing a food crisis with multiple causes. Estimates in late December 2025 suggested that 41.8 million people were already in crisis or worse in October-December 2025. The number was expected to rise to 52.8 million in June-August 2026. IFPRI researchers Oliver Kiptoo Kirui and Chibuzo Nwagboso explain how serious the situation is.
How severe is food insecurity in the region, and where are the hotspots?
Food security has three aspects:
- Chronic hunger.
- Constraints to food access.
- Acute crises.
West Africa, the Sahel, and Cameroon are in crisis, according to the World Food Programme (WFP). It is increasingly concentrated in conflict-affected corridors where markets fragment, farms are abandoned, and humanitarian access is constrained. Key areas include the Central Sahel/Liptako-Gourma region and the Lake Chad Basin.
The problem is strongly shaped by the global humanitarian financing squeeze. The WFP has warned that funding shortfalls are forcing ration reductions in countries like Mali.
Between October and December 2025, it was estimated that 41.78 million people faced food insecurity. For the June-August 2026 lean season, it is projected that 52.78 million are at risk. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s January 2026 regional update aligns with this projection.
The WFP, covering a broader “West and Central Africa” framing, has warned that June-August 2026 could see 55 million people endure “crisis hunger or worse.”