The number of malnutrition cases recorded at health facilities supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in North-East Nigeria has risen by 18 per cent in one year, with children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers among the worst affected.
The humanitarian organisation disclosed that admissions at six health centres and four hospitals it supports increased from about 17,000 between January and September 2025 to nearly 20,000 during the same period in 2026.
According to the ICRC, persistent armed conflict, climate-related challenges and economic hardship have made it increasingly difficult for vulnerable families to obtain sufficient food.
The situation is particularly concerning in Mubi, Adamawa State, where malnutrition admissions climbed by nearly 24 per cent, from approximately 4,600 cases in the first nine months of 2025 to about 5,700 in the corresponding period this year.
The crisis has left many parents struggling to provide adequate nutrition for their children. At the Mubi Stabilisation Centre, mothers continue to seek medical and nutritional support for infants experiencing health complications.
The ICRC explained that insecurity has prevented farmers from accessing farmland outside their communities, while disruptions to markets and agricultural supply chains have affected access to essential farming inputs, including seeds and fertilisers.
Erratic rainfall and flooding have further undermined food production, worsening the situation for households already affected by years of conflict and displacement.
The organisation also warned that the wider food crisis remains severe. Citing United Nations analysis, it said more than 34 million people in Nigeria are expected to face insufficient food supplies in 2026.
To address the challenge, the ICRC, working with the Nigerian Red Cross, supports healthcare facilities and community-based nutrition programmes. Its interventions include distributing drought- and flood-resistant seeds, promoting diverse crop production and teaching mothers how to prepare nutritious meals.
One initiative involves Tom Brown, a locally prepared blend of sorghum, millet, soybeans, groundnuts and moringa. The organisation said the nutritional mixture has helped more than 13,000 young children recover from moderate acute malnutrition.
The ICRC stressed that improving food security requires sustained efforts to protect farming communities, restore access to livelihoods and ensure vulnerable families can obtain adequate food and healthcare.
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