WFP calls for urgent funding to prevent food aid halt in West

8/3/2025 6:14

The United Nations World Food Programme said on Friday it would halt food and nutrition assistance to more than 2 million people in Nigeria and the Central Sahel region next month without urgent funding to bridge shortfalls.



The U.N. food agency (WFP) said in a statement it required $620 million to continue supporting refugees in Chad and Mali and food-insecure people in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria.



"The global shrinkage of foreign aid is posing a significant threat to our operations in Western Africa," said WFP Regional Director Margot van der Velden.



The funding squeeze comes as the lean season - the period in between harvests when hunger peaks - is expected to hit earlier than usual across West Africa's Sahel region south of the Sahara.



"With millions expected to face emergency levels of hunger at the peak of the lean season, the world must step up support to prevent this situation from getting out of control."