Admissions for malnutrition at health facilities supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in northeast Nigeria rose by 18 per cent in the first nine months of 2026, with young children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers worst affected.
The facilities recorded nearly 20,000 cases between January and September 2026, up from about 17,000 during the same period in 2025.
The ICRC, in a statement issued on Thursday, attributed the worsening situation to the combined effects of armed conflict, climate shocks and economic pressures, which have disrupted livelihoods and made access to food increasingly difficult for families.
The increase was sharpest in Mubi, Adamawa State, where malnutrition admissions rose by nearly a quarter, from about 4,600 cases in the first nine months of 2025 to approximately 5,700 in the corresponding period this year.
At the Mubi Stabilisation Centre, mothers queue with their young children for nutritional assessments and treatment.
One of them, Zulaihatu Mohammed, said her six-month-old daughter, Huseina, one of her twins, had been unwell since birth.
“When I gave birth to them, this one was tiny,” she said, explaining that she had visited the centre to collect food for her children but was also seeking help because the baby was unwell.
The ICRC said the experience reflected the difficulties confronting families across the region, where insecurity has restricted farming, disrupted markets and reduced access to food.
Farmers are particularly affected by the threat of explosive devices in fields located far from their homes, forcing some to cultivate smaller plots closer to their communities.
“Due to the conflict, going one kilometre out of town to farm could be highly risky. You might not return!” said farmer Saminu Samiyu Ijaduwa.
The organisation said the insecurity had made it harder for families to produce food and earn a living, worsening the risks of malnutrition among vulnerable groups.
To address the problem, the ICRC, in partnership with the Nigerian Red Cross, supports 15 primary healthcare centres and four hospitals, while helping more than 200 communities prevent and treat malnutrition.
Its interventions include providing farmers with seeds suited to drought and flooding, promoting crop diversity and teaching mothers how to prepare nutritious meals at home.
One initiative involves Tom Brown, a locally prepared blend of sorghum, millet, soybeans, groundnuts and moringa. According to the ICRC, the food has helped more than 13,000 young children recover from moderate acute malnutrition.
Mothers are also taught how to prepare the mixture themselves to sustain their children’s nutritional needs at home.
The worsening situation comes amid broader food insecurity across Nigeria, where prolonged conflict has contributed to rising hunger levels.
According to United Nations analysis cited by the ICRC, more than 34 million people in Nigeria are expected to face insufficient food supplies in 2026, the highest figure in six years.
The report also lists Nigeria among the world’s hunger hotspots of highest concern, alongside Sudan, Yemen, Somalia and Gaza.
The ICRC said it continued to work with the Nigerian Red Cross and local communities to improve access to healthcare, treat malnutrition and strengthen food security in conflict-affected areas.