The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Magnot, has issued a strong appeal for urgent support to tackle the growing malnutrition crisis in Northern Nigeria, which affects over two million children.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, Magnot emphasized the need for immediate humanitarian action, citing the withdrawal of aid by the United States and other international partners as a major challenge.
“There are currently 3.5 million children suffering from severe acute malnutrition in Nigeria, with about two million in the North-East and North-West regions alone,” Magnot said.
He warned that the shortage of therapeutic food — essential for treating malnourished children — could become critical in the coming weeks.
“This assistance was traditionally given through humanitarian international aid. But now, with the withdrawal of some partners, particularly the US, there is a huge gap to be covered,” he stated.
The ambassador noted that while Nigeria has local producers of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), importation remains necessary, especially for essential items like therapeutic milk that save the lives of severely malnourished infants.
Describing a recent visit to Sokoto with the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Magnot recounted:
“When you see babies who are too weak to eat, the only thing that can save them is therapeutic milk. And within a few days, they begin to regain strength and appetite. But this is only possible if we maintain the supply chain.”
He acknowledged the presence of stabilisation centres but said they are overstretched and under-resourced, underscoring the urgency of global collaboration to bridge the aid gap.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kashim Shettima, speaking through Deputy Chief of Staff Ibrahim Hadejia at the National Summit on Nutrition and Food Security in Abuja, described the situation as a national emergency.
“Malnutrition continues to rob nearly 40 per cent of Nigerian children under five of their physical and cognitive potential,” Shettima warned.
Both leaders called for collective national and international efforts to save lives and ensure that Nigeria’s children are not permanently affected by preventable hunger.
