The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a stark warning over a deepening hunger crisis across West and Central Africa, as conflict, economic hardship, displacement, and extreme weather continue to push millions towards severe food insecurity.

According to the latest Cadre Harmonisé food security analysis, over 36 million people in the region are currently struggling to meet their basic food and nutrition needs.

That number is expected to soar to more than 52 million during the peak lean season between June and August 2025.

Alarmingly, nearly three million people are projected to be in emergency conditions (IPC Phase 4), with an additional 2,600 in Mali facing catastrophic hunger (IPC Phase 5).

“The region is at a tipping point, and millions of lives are at stake,” warned Margot van der Velden, WFP’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa.

“Without urgent funding, WFP will be forced to scale down even further, reducing the number of people we can reach and the size of food rations we distribute.”

The crisis has been exacerbated by ongoing armed conflicts, which have displaced more than 10 million people—2.4 million of whom are refugees and asylum seekers in countries like Chad, Cameroon, Mauritania, and Niger.

Another eight million are internally displaced, particularly in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Cameroon, having fled their homes, farms, and livelihoods.

Rising inflation, especially in food and fuel prices, is compounding the crisis.

Ghana, for example, has seen the number of food-insecure individuals more than double in a year—from 1.1 million in 2024 to 2.3 million by May 2025.

Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon have also recorded sharp increases in hunger as inflation erodes access to nutritious food.

Adding to the pressure, extreme weather continues to devastate communities.

In 2024 alone, floods affected more than six million people across the region, particularly in the Central Sahel, Lake Chad Basin, and Central African Republic.

So far in 2025, WFP has reached three million of the most vulnerable individuals—including refugees, internally displaced persons, and malnourished children—with life-saving assistance.

However, the agency warns that without immediate support, up to five million people could lose access to critical aid.

Funding constraints have already impacted operations. Between June and August 2024, WFP was only able to assist 7.3 million people in the Sahel—just 60 percent of its intended target, with many receiving reduced food rations. The funding shortfall is also threatening the operations of the WFP-managed UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), which provides essential air transport and logistics for humanitarian efforts in countries like Mali and Nigeria.

To sustain its operations in the region through October 2025, WFP urgently requires US$710 million.

Beyond emergency aid, WFP is advocating for long-term investments to tackle the root causes of hunger. Through its integrated Resilience Programme, launched in 2018, the organisation has helped rehabilitate more than 300,000 hectares of degraded land, supporting over four million people in 3,400 villages across the Sahel.

“By investing in early action and restoring ecosystems, we can protect communities, reduce future humanitarian needs, and strengthen local economies,” said van der Velden.

“We know what works. Now, we need collective action and investment to break the cycle of hunger.”

WFP reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with national governments, regional institutions, and humanitarian partners to deliver timely and targeted assistance to those in need.