It is projected that nearly 6 million children aged 0-59 months have likely been suffering and will likely continue to suffer from acute malnutrition in the period of May 2022 – April 2023 in Northwest and Northeast Nigeria. This includes 1,623,130 Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) cases and 4,308,404 Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) cases. In addition, 511,890 pregnant and lactating women will likely be acutely malnourished and are in need of nutrition interventions.

In the current period of May – September 2022, more than half of the 134 Local Government Areas (LGAs) included in the analysis are in IPC Acute Malnutrition (AMN) Phase 3 and above. Of the 63 LGAs analysed in Northeast Nigeria, 13 were classified in IPC AMN Phase 4 (Critical), 17 in Phase 3 (Serious) 30 in Phase 2 (Alert) and 3 in Phase 1 (Acceptable). In Northwest Nigeria, there were 71 LGAs with sufficient data. Of those 71 LGAs, 17 were classified in IPC AMN Phase 4 (Critical), 25 in Phase 3 (Serious), 28 in Phase 2 (Alert) and 1 in Phase 1 (Acceptable).

Although acute malnutrition levels are expected to improve slightly during the two projected periods of October – December 2022 and January – April 2023, the majority of the LGAs will likely still remain in IPC AMN Phase 3 and above, indicating Critical and Serious levels of acute malnutrition.

• Lifesaving humanitarian response: Improve food consumption of children and PLW through improving coverage of household food assistance combined with supplementary nutrition interventions to meet the dietary requirements of children and PLW.  Advocate for funding to maintain access to lifesaving humanitarian assistance (nutrition, WASH, food security and health), especially among IDPs and communities severely impacted by flooding and outbreaks of cholera and measles. 
• Improve coordination: Considering communities’ significantly diminished resilience, the high vulnerability to shocks and the protected nature of food insecurity and malnutrition, close collaboration between humanitarian and development programmes are needed to tackle the underlying causes of food insecurity and malnutrition and enhance resilience.
• Scale up nutrition interventions: Scale up early detection of acute malnutrition and referrals to treatment sites in LGAs classified as Serious or Critical through the Mother Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) approach, Community Nutrition Mobilisers (CNM) and Community Health Influencers Promoters and Services (CHIPS) Agents.