Mubi:Abuja Admissions for malnutrition at International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) supported health facilities in northeast Nigeria have risen by 18 percent, increasing from 17,000 cases in 2025 to nearly 20,000 in 2026.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the ICRC issued a statement in Abuja, signed by Public Relations Officer Aliyu Dawobe, emphasizing the growing burden of malnutrition in the region. The increase in cases was recorded between January and September across six health centers and four hospitals.
Young children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers are among the hardest hit by the rise in malnutrition. Conflict, climate shocks, and economic pressures continue to undermine household food security, leading to worsening nutritional challenges among vulnerable populations in conflict-affected communities.
In Mubi, Adamawa, malnutrition admissions surged by nearly 24 percent, from approximately 4,600 cases to about 5,700 during the same period. At the Mubi Stabilisation Centre, mothers bring their children for nutritional assessments and treatment, and some collect specialized food to support their children’s recovery.
One mother, Zulaihatu Mohammed, brought her six-month-old daughter, Huseina, for routine food collection and assessment. Her experience reflects the difficulties families face across northeast Nigeria, where prolonged conflict, climate-related shocks, and economic hardship have disrupted livelihoods, reduced food access, and increased malnutrition risks.
Farmers are struggling to cultivate land safely due to explosive devices and insecurity, making fields far from residential areas dangerous. Farmer Saminu Ijaduwa reported restricting cultivation to a small plot near his home due to these risks, limiting food production opportunities.
To combat malnutrition, the ICRC, in collaboration with the Nigerian Red Cross, supports 15 primary healthcare centers and four hospitals. They assist over 200 communities with malnutrition treatment and household food security. Initiatives include providing drought and flood-resistant seeds, encouraging crop diversity, and teaching mothers how to prepare nutritious meals with local ingredients.
One such initiative promotes Tom Brown, a blend of sorghum, millet, soybeans, groundnuts, and moringa, which has helped over 13,000 young children recover from moderate acute malnutrition. Mothers are taught to prepare the mixture themselves, ensuring continued nutritious food provision for their children.
Nigeria’s wider food insecurity crisis remains severe, with more than 34 million people projected to face food shortages in 2026, according to United Nations analysis. This projection marks the highest number in six years and places Nigeria among the world’s hunger hotspots, alongside Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, and Gaza.
The statement was issued in recognition of World Food Day, observed annually on October 16, amid increasing concerns over food insecurity and malnutrition in northeast Nigeria.