Hunger is worsening in Nigeria at a frightening pace, no thanks to a sudden policy shift at the start of the present administration that drove up prices of staples, including children’s essential diets by as much as 353 per cent, leaving many households still struggling to cope. Nigeria, now ranked as Africa’s worst-hit and second globally for child malnutrition; behind these figures, however, lie heart-breaking tales of mothers’ desperation to keep their vulnerable innocents alive with the unusual, such as scavenged leftovers, chicken feeds, and even worse. Omolabake Fasogbon reports that the consequences of poor diets forced on children due to harsh economic realities – including unprecedented child admissions, grave ailments and deaths – are slipping beyond what the nation’s medical capacity can contain, as medical migration (Japa) further burdens a fragile healthcare system.

Little Chima’s voice fades into thin air as he loses the strength to cry the more. His small body lies limp on the cold market floor. His siblings, their faces etched with worry, gently brush away the flies swarming around him. At just eight months old, Chima is a mere shadow of a child, a victim of hunger so deep it silences even his cries.

This scene greeted the reporter at Mrs. Rose Okafor’s sparse stall at Ile-Epo market, Abule-egba, Lagos. Rose, Chima’s mother, ekes out meagre living through selling homemade dishwashers. The bustling market, typically a beehive of commerce, hummed indifferently to the children’s silent suffering. Chima’s siblings, barely more than toddlers themselves, guard their mother’s wares, their eyes vacant with hunger.

“He is hungry,” Chima’s younger sister of about four years, whispered, her voice barely audible. “My mummy went to buy food,” added their eldest brother. Their eyes fixed on the market entrance, it was just after 1:00 pm, and they were still awaiting their first meal. This reporter found they were accustomed to skipping meals, especially on non-school days. Indeed, their right to timely nutrition, as provided in the Child Rights Act, was being violated. They remain excluded from the intent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) on timely nutrition because their parents could not afford nutritious meals. A United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report says that 11 million or one in three Nigerian children under five are experiencing severe food poverty, but in this circumstance, three siblings are victims, yet settle for low-nutrient meals when they eventually eat, a reality common in many households.

Scavenging to survive

As the children waited, the reporter, wary of local custom of distrust towards strangers, hesitated to offer them snacks. Rose returned about half an hour late for an interview prearranged two weeks earlier, following our first encounter at Orile-Agege General Hospital, Ile-Epo, Oke-Odo, Lagos, where she had brought sickly Chima for treatment.

In her hand, a black polythene bag emits a pungent smell of soured food. Her children swarmed around her, as their eyes lit-up with anticipation. Rose emptied a heap of leftovers: sour jollof rice, wilted salad, and congealed melon, all scavenged, as was later learnt, from a party she had attended uninvited. Both mother and children savoured the meal, while Rose laughed off concerns about the potential risk of their intake.

“This is how we have survived since January 2024 when food became the preserve of rich men”, a disheartened Rose lamented. “I’ve been collecting leftovers from any available parties where I disguise as a guest. A neighbour showed me this way. I can’t watch my child, the little I earn won’t buy food in the market”, she confessed.

Chima’s health fails

Like his siblings, Chima also subsists on scraps and at times, breast milk when Rose is not far away, struggling for their next meal. But the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that children like Chima receive at least five food groups daily—from breast milk and proteins to fruits and vegetables. Lacking any of these, Chima soon fell ill with conditions linked to poor nutrition, battling repeated bouts of illness, alongside growth delays, a confirmation of medics’ warning on the repercussions of poor diets in children.

In Rose’s household, as is with several others, hunger has left them succumbing to any diets, however dreadful even for children. This, resonating with findings by lifestyle-focused publication, Good Health Weekly, that Nigerians no longer eat for nutrients, but to fill their stomach for energy.

Affirming this finding, President of Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN), Prof. Ekanem Ekure, blamed it on poverty and unaffordable food prices.

“This development also threatens to reverse previous gains in childhood survival, likewise obstructs SDG 3 achievement”, she stated.

Also citing consequences of poor nutrition, Maternal and Child Health Expert, Blessing Akombi said, “Children risk stunted physical and cognitive development, weak immunity, frequent infections, and lifelong effects on education, productivity and health.”

Not unaware of the consequences of scraps she gives her little ones, Rose believes ”survival matters”, as she echoed at different occasions.

Getting Chima treated in his frail state at Orile Agege General Hospital, Rose narrated, was another hurdle, like of chasing a fantasy. Although, she reported that physician complained Chima was battling infections and severe malnourishment, she said doctors’ dietary advice was unrealistic.

I rarely make N2,000 daily ($1.31), how am I expected to get money for therapeutic food? Even the recommended local substitutes are beyond my reach, but I still try to give him beans and add some milk to his pap, though not consistently, due to the cost. My husband is just a site labourer who struggles to get engagements, so I expect little or no support from him”, she said, strapping sleeping Chima to her back.

Frying pan to fire

Though not entirely pleasant prior, Okafor family’s dietary pattern declined further from 2024, at the same time when food prices more than doubled, following economic reforms of present administration. Nigeria’s food inflation reached a 28-year high of 40.87% as of June 2024, causing more strain on households’ diets since then. . Once surviving on bare minimum, the Okafors now struggle for even the cheapest meal.

“Before now, we could afford two decent meals a day, with a little spice of protein. I would split one egg among the three of them, but it is now too costly. If I couldn’t give Ponmo (cowhide), I’d add puff-puff for flavour, this too is now on the high side”, she recounted when asked about their feeding routine.

Although this household’s previous diet already fell short of UNICEF’s recommended food groups for children, Rose worried that their inadequate previous were running over the family’s means. With neither spouse earning a stable income, life has been a constant struggle. On days when there are no parties to scavenge food, she said she enters food stores to pick up spilt grains of raw rice and beans.

Worsening hunger

Hunger and malnutrition remain persistent in Nigeria. Once seen largely as Northern crisis, the scourge is tightening its grip nationwide. Economic policies at the onset of the present government sent food prices soaring, amid food insecurity, climate shocks and rising conflict. This aggravated a tense situation, pushing national inflation to 34 per cent as of December 2024, far beyond regional averages. Although this gradually tapered to 21.88 per cent in July 2025, a spot check, alongside economic observers, showed it is not market-reflective. From February of present year, food inflation has remained above 2.0% month-on-month, contrasting disinflation in core prices.

Despite its rich resources, Nigeria ranks as the world’s second most food-insecure country. Year on year, the country slips further on the Global Hunger Index, currently ranked 110th out of 127 countries. This, fueled by rising food inflation, heightens nutritional risks. An analysis by data platform, Intelpoint comparing prices of food items between April 2023 and December 2024 showed an increase by up to 353 per cent, far outpacing prevailing 133 per cent wage increase, thus unsustainable for even the privileged grappling with several other needs. To date, these prices have barely changed.

Resultantly, child malnutrition worsens to leave Nigeria with the highest burden in Africa, with no fewer than 3.5million children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) – deadliest form of malnutrition which compromises children’s immune systems and makes common illnesses life-threatening.

Suggesting present situation may even get worse, Country Director at the International Rescue Committee, IRC, Babatunde Ojei, noted that donors’ reluctance and global food aid cuts will likely compound an already precarious situation.

“It’s heartbreaking to see the needs of children growing while the support to reach them is shrinking. Fewer implementing partners are active, as donor reluctance, driven by insecurity, limited access, and global aid cuts, continue to restrict funding”, he remarked.

Animal feed to the rescue

Far away in oil-rich Akwa Ibom state, Southern Nigeria, about 700 kilometres from Nigeria’s richest economy, Lagos state, another mother’s desperate choice reveals nationwide scope of the crisis. Like Lagos, ravaging hunger defies this state’s modernity, forcing desperate widow, Grace Eseneowo to seek respite in animal nutrients.

For 22-year-old Grace, chicken feed from the farm where she works became her last resort to defeat a gnawing hunger. By the way, steep prices of food nationally mean Grace’s entire N15,000 monthly salary would narrowly cover three days’ worth of nutritious food for her and four children.

Grace’s plight gained attention after her employer’s daughter, Queen Praise discovered her struggles and shared publicly, with the intention to solicit help for her, and draw attention to broader hunger crisis.

“She usually saves some feed from my father’s farm where she works and prepares same as pap for her children”, praised revealed.

While troubling, Grace’s plight is not unique in a state that barely subsists, with a poverty rate of 26.8 per cent, far below the national threshold of 52.1 percent. With Akwa Ibom ranked 27th of 36 states on the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) poverty index of 2023, hunger reality in poorer regions can be best imagined.

Increasingly, Nigerians across regions are seeking succour in unhealthy cheap substitutes, such as consuming rice waste instead of rice, enduring forced starvation, and rationing food, all of which pose different health risks.

For Grace and offspring, including her one year old child, they are already vulnerable by consuming chicken feeds, which American Chemical Society warned often contain growth enhancing arsenic-based drugs linked to cancer, heart disease, and diabetes in humans.

Double woes

Consuming unhealthy food exacts a heavy toll on children’s health, especially those below five years, which WHO affirms are disproportionately affected by malnutrition.

With hunger, poor diets becoming the norm, forcing desperate mothers, including Rose and Grace to savour ’poison’ like a delicacy, their recourse, literally worse off than hunger itself. To them, healthy food matters less than survival. The consequences of these choices are appalling.

A consultant paediatrician at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nma Jiya, said that many more children are being admitted to clinics on causes related to malnutrition. He disclosed that about 80–90 percent of paediatric case in recent times are malnutrition-related, adding that the surge was unprecedented. Particularly, he worried that the surge was, ill-timed given medical brain drain plaguing health system.

Relating the situation in Northern Nigeria, Jiya said, “We’re witnessing a historic surge in vaccine-preventable, communicable and non-communicable diseases among children. We’ve had to deal with several cases of hypoglycemia, hypothermia, excessive coldness, anaemia, liver failure, and electrolyte imbalances, largely due to poor diet.”

Corroborating Jiya’s revelation, international charity organisation, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) expressed concern about deteriorating condition of malnourished children in the country, reporting a 74 percent increase in admitted malnourished children to its facility in Kebbi State in first half of 2025, and more than 100 percent increase across Northern region.

“Not just the children, even mothers accompanying young patients are themselves acutely malnourished”, MSF noted.

Jiya expressed that while the influx coincides with mass exodus of health workers, ailing children may not get the best. The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) reports that at least 50 medical doctors leave the country every week in search of greener pastures abroad over poor working conditions. This leaves the country grappling with a shortage of 600,000 doctors, a gap analysts say will take another next 60 years to bridge.

“We’re losing doctors and nurses almost every day, while patients keep streaming in. We are facing a crisis. It is even worse in the North, where we face local and International Japa”, Jiya said, shaking his head in despair.

A Paediatric Nephrologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Chris Esezobo, also flagged Nigeria’s low paediatrician-to-patient ratio, warning that the gap is attracting incompetent child specialists, and a contributor to deaths of approximately 2,400 malnourished children daily, as compiled by UNICEF.

“Some states have no paediatricians. Some local government areas in Lagos lack paediatric doctors. Children in Nigeria are dying due to a lack of skilled manpower,” he disclosed.

Chima fades in the shadow of care

A chaotic medley of sounds—wails, murmurs, and sobs filled the air at the pediatric section of Orile Agege General Hospital. The number of patients awaiting few physicians’ attention was unusually high for a Friday afternoon. Lately, however, this has been the norm, with waves of sick children flooding the hospital on both weekdays and weekends. Most cases, findings with PAN’s President, Ekure revealed stem from poor diets and hygiene. This, shockingly, is the situation in most paediatric wards across clinics in South West region comprising ( Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states), where Lagos sadly battles 30,000 doctor deficit.

“Although not as severe as Northern states, hospital admissions of children have somewhat increased in the South West due to malnutrition. This remains a serious concern with multiple underlying causes”, said Ekure who is also a Consultant at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.

In the ward, one mother’s cry stood out. “She had just lost her two-year-old child to anaemia,” a relative of the bereaved (name unknown) had hinted. A check on a medical site shows Anaemia is a common consequence of poor nutrition. In between, some emergency cases were turned away due to lack of bed space. Curiously, this reporter, posing as mother of a sick child to observe situation firsthand, following numerous complaints about worsening services in general hospitals, including the paediatric arm, was attended to before Rose who arrived much earlier.

In less than two minutes, a visibly tired and impatient doctor (without a name tag) was done; he referred reporter’s child for a full blood count (FBC). “Next patient please,” the doctor called. Still, it was not Chima; it was the patient next in line. Rose’s child, obviously ignored, forced a first time conversation between us.

“This is my fourth visit this week; I’ve only seen the doctor once. They’ll probably ignore us again”, she wept.

Chima’s ordeal began around his fifth-month birthday when Rose noticed he was growing slowly and struggling to hold his neck. Initially, neighbours and even nurses at a health centre dismissed her concerns, suggesting it was a temporary developmental delay.

By six months, with no improvement, Rose started bringing him to the clinic almost daily, presenting new symptoms. On this day, Chima was battling erratic temperature changes and persistent cough that had been unresponsive to treatment.

“Today, he has malaria. Tomorrow, he is stooling, every time, it is always one infection or the other, but they keep saying he is not eating well. I’ve been trying in my capacity, yet, his condition is not improving. His mates are already crawling, but he doesn’t show any sign yet. Some people are suggesting herbal treatment, I’m afraid it may even compound his situation.

“I’ve been coming here every other day for three months now, but his condition only worsens. The health workers already know us, so they ignore us or attend to us hastily.

“They tell me they’re short-staffed and have many children to treat. At times, they will say I should continue with old medications even when I have new complaints. I’m tired; I just want him to be well.

“His condition has drained us. The little help we get goes on drugs and tests. He has been placed on special diets, including infant formula and vitamin C. I still try to give him vitamin C, but could not sustain other recommended because of the cost,” she grieved.

Chima’s plight mirrors that of eight out of ten Nigerian malnourished children, which UNICEF says lack access to treatment. His condition remains dire, a victim whose condition withers still to a doctor shortage. Like UNICEF, the IRC reported that more than four out of five children suffering from nutritional ailments are denied life-saving treatment due to lack of funds and bureaucracy. These, and now medical brain drain, beckon an unsettling outcome. Asked about Chima’s medical record, Rose could not provide any physical documents, understandably so, due to the now digitized operations across public hospitals.

Japa’s toll on starving innocents

The repercussions of medical japa on ailing innocents, especially in public hospitals vary, they are harrowing to witness. From fruitless, unending wait and half-baked treatment to ignored cries of hurting kids, rushed consultations and diagnosis, including avoidable deaths, as witnessed firsthand by this reporter in a day’s visit to Lagos hospital, signal urgency for succour.

A situation where ailing children must beg for treatment due to doctor shortage, threatens an already tragic situation, which before now from UNICEF data as of 2015, only two out of ten malnourished children in Nigeria could access treatment. Now, with doctors vanishing like smoke, and just one physician per 8,000 patients, vulnerable ones like Chima can only hope for a miracle. Yet, patients’ loads continue to rise.

Once reacting to this dilemma in the previous year, immediate Past Country Representative of MSF, Dr. Simba Tirima said, “We are resorting to treating patients on mattresses on the floor because our facilities are full”. Present Country Representative of MSF, Ahmed Aldikhari also bemoaned an escalating toll, noting that over 652 malnourished children have died in its Katsina facilities this year alone. “They couldn’t get timely access to care”, he worried.

Likewise, the IRC recently declared an outrageous number of severely malnourished children admitted to its clinic, with cases surged by 178 percent between March and July 2025.

In another troubling revelation, a paediatric nurse at Bola Ahmed Tinubu Health Centre, Aboru, Lagos, Mrs. Yewande Gansallo, observed a trend of recurring illnesses, mostly infections, among children visiting the clinic, just like it is with Chima, wondering why such is prevalent.

“They keep coming back with the same complaints every week, and we keep treating the same condition repeatedly. It’s so strange”, she said. But Jiya remarked that Gansallo’s concern is not uncommon among malnourished children, adding that such is very likely when their immune systems are already compromised by prolonged nutritional deficiencies.

“The ongoing wave of brain drain couldn’t have come at a worse time”, Jiya lamented. “Unfortunately, those who suffer most as we see them often are children from low-income families. They can barely afford, good food or private consultation”, he sighed.

Stumbling interventions; experts’ stance

While governments at both federal and state levels have rolled out initiatives to address these scourges, their efforts appear illusory in light of disturbing statistics.

Measures, such as 33.7% increase in the 2025 nutrition budget, $12 billion loan from Japan to boost food production as well as sum of N12 billion(about $8 million) claimed to be disbursed by federal government to enhance food production, barely bring relief to the masses.

Most recent efforts were announced plans to harmonize levies on food transport and the ‘Nutrition 774’ Initiative, designed to decentralize nutrition interventions across the country’s 774 local government areas.

Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, once admitting the cost of malnutrition, said, “This remains a national emergency that poses both health and security threats to Nigeria. At one point, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security proposed a nationwide prayer & fasting in response to the escalating situation, a move widely dismissed as unserious.

In the health sector, a proposed N110bn investment to upgrade medical schools; as well as the national policy on health workforce migration, comprising a housing scheme for healthcare workers and incentive programme were deemed dead on arrival.

A public health expert, Dr. David Adewole said, “This policy may not do much. As much as it may be good, its proper implementation and sustainability might be a challenge due to the government’s habit of policy somersaults.”

Chairperson of the Lagos NMA chapter, Babajide Saheed in a statement issued on 2025 Workers’ Day underlined the urgency of resolving Japa dilemma, noting still, a delay in the Implementation of policy on health workforce migration. He urged improved remuneration, such as non-taxable call duty allowances and professional allowances indexed to the national inflation rate.

He added, ” “Better welfare packages, including affordable housing and car loans, and adopting CONMESS salary structure while ending exploitative locum appointments will drive fair pay and career growth.”

As for Ekure, she believed children’s present plight resulted from non-implementation of Child Rights Act (CRA), despite domesticated across states, urging governments to intensify commitment its enforcement.

“CRA guarantees Nigerian children’s rights to family life, nutrition, health. The Federal Government should lead by example and drive its enforcement across states”, she maintained.

Similarly, Ekure backed call by Child health expert, Akombi-Inyang for holistic solution to the dual crises.

Akombi-Inyang said, “Since malnutrition stems from poverty, addressing it requires a multidimensional approach that tackles various deprivations that necessitate a commitment from government at all levels.

“At household level, efforts should be devoted to promoting good water, sanitation and hygiene, while at the community level, there should be deliberate and consistent move to support underprivileged households in form of food and cash transfers”.

A former Chairman of NMA, Prof Mike Ogirima advised on need to strengthen Primary Healthcare Centres, (PHCs) by integrating nutrition counselling, promoting exclusive breastfeeding and embracing local food supplements like soya beans.

A farmer, Mrs. Blessing Olugbemi also encouraged mothers to consider low budget, protein -rich alternatives, than outright ignore due to high cost.

“Crayfish, Ugu (pumpkin) leaves and herring fish (Sawa) are all nutritious and flavorful cheap options that can be added to children’s meal for optimal health.

Overall, integrated and bottom- up actions that engage key stakeholders, empower community clinics and families and ensure government intentionality in school feeding programme, are deemed essential to save children like Chima and prevent further tragedies. (THISDAY)