Nigeria Has The Most Malnourished Children In Africa

Nigeria has the highest number of malnourished children in Africa, and the second highest globally, according to Nemat Hajeebhoy, UNICEF’s Chief of Nutrition.

An estimated two million children in Nigeria suffer from severe acute malnutrition, and children with severe acute malnutrition are nine to 11 times more likely to die.

Malnutrition refers to a condition that occurs when a person’s diet does not provide the right amount of nutrients for proper health and development. It can mean undernutrition, where there is a deficiency of calories, protein, or essential vitamins and minerals, or overnutrition, where there is excessive intake of certain nutrients, often leading to obesity or diet-related diseases.

In the context of Nigeria and many other developing countries, undernutrition, especially among children, is the most common and dangerous form. It weakens the immune system, delays growth and development, and significantly increases the risk of death, particularly from common infections.

Undernutrition includes: wasting (low weight for height), stunting (low height for age), underweight (low weight for age) and micronutrient deficiencies (lack of essential vitamins and minerals like iron, iodine, and vitamin A).

States in northern Nigeria were the most affected by the two forms of malnutrition – stunting and wasting. According to UNICEF,

Stunting, in addition to an increased risk of death, is also linked to poor cognitive development, a lowered performance in education and low productivity in adulthood – all contributing to economic losses estimated to account for as much as 11 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

Serigne Loum, Head of Programme at the World Food Programme (WFP), further warned of worsening conditions. He said:

Nigeria has the highest number of food-insecure people on the continent.

Food insecurity means not having reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food to live a healthy and active life.

People who are food insecure may:

Skip meals or eat less than they need.
Rely on low-quality or less nutritious food.
Worry about where their next meal will come from.
Go a whole day or more without eating because they can’t afford food.

In Nigeria, for example, millions face food insecurity due to conflict, poverty, inflation, climate change, and poor access to farming resources. The nutrition and food security crisis keeps getting worse daily, and it’s very alarming.

The solution to this crisis, however, is not cheap. Trond Jensen, the head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Nigeria, put a figure to it. He said that at least $300 million is urgently needed, which includes food, nutrition, water, sanitation, healthcare, protection, and logistics.

Aside from Nigeria, several other African countries are also grappling with alarming levels of hunger and malnutrition, particularly among children. The 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI) lists nine other African countries that are most affected:

Somalia GHI Score: 44.1 (Alarming)
Chad GHI Score: 36.4 (Alarming)
Madagascar GHI Score: 36.3 (Alarming)
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) GHI Score: 34.9 (Serious)
Niger GHI Score: 34.1 (Serious)
Liberia GHI Score: 31.9 (Serious)
Central African Republic (CAR) GHI Score: 31.5 (Serious)
Sierra Leone GHI Score: 31.2 (Serious)
Zambia GHI Score: 30.7 (Serious)

These countries, along with Nigeria, highlight the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to combat hunger and malnutrition across the continent. Addressing these issues requires coordinated efforts in improving food security, healthcare, education, and economic stability.