By Chioma Obinagwam
Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, and the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator Mohamed Malick Fall has launched the 2025 Lean Season Response Plan targeting three north-eastern states of the country—Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) states.
The UN told Confiance News in a statement on Tuesday.
The $159 million initiative aims to deliver urgent nutrition, food, health, and other critical aid to 2 million people in dire need over the next six months.
In the BAY states, 1 million children face severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in 2025, a doubling from 2024, with 600,000 at immediate risk. Without intervention, many may not survive.
More so, Confiance learnt that 4.6 million people are expected to face acute food insecurity during the lean season starting in June, marking six years of persistent crisis, per the March 2025 Cadre Harmonisé analysis.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Yilwatda stressed urgency: “No child in Borno, Adamawa, or Yobe should go hungry when food exists globally, no mother should lose a child to treatable conditions, and dignity must not be lost to conflict or poverty.”
He affirmed the government’s commitment to lead, aligning efforts with national policies.
The BAY states endure a 15-year humanitarian crisis worsened by conflict, economic instability, and climate shocks. Funding cuts in 2025 have slashed 70% of health services and 50% of nutrition programs, jeopardizing progress in malnutrition management.
UN Coordinator Fall warned, “Humanitarianism is under strain, and resource shortages threaten millions, especially children.” He urged government leadership, the private sector, and new donors to bolster aid efforts.
The plan prioritizes immediate needs—food, healthcare, nutrition, water, sanitation, protection, and agricultural support—while advocating for locally led, long-term resilience to mitigate the lean season’s impact on vulnerable children and mothers.
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