USAID Cuts Trigger Hunger Crisis in Nigeria: Children Dying as Aid Runs Dry

Under a makeshift thatched roof in Dikwa, Nigeria, Yagana Bulama mourns the death of one of her newborn twins—another victim of a growing humanitarian crisis. Once a lifeline for millions, international aid has withered due to drastic funding cuts, leaving families like hers without food, medical help, or hope.

Bulama’s story is one among hundreds of thousands in Borno State, where nearly the entire population relies on aid. Movement is restricted to designated “safe zones” by the military due to ongoing insurgency threats, cutting off access to farming and livelihood.

Once heavily funded by USAID, essential humanitarian programs including nutrition and shelter support have collapsed. The Trump-era decision to slash more than 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts has taken a heavy toll—especially on children. A therapeutic feeding program by Mercy Corps that once saved Bulama’s triplets, and later supported her twins, was discontinued in February. One of her newborns died just two weeks later.

UN officials now fear a sharp rise in child mortality. According to Helen Keller Intl, the cuts could deny life-saving treatment to one million children, potentially causing over 160,000 preventable deaths each year.

With UNICEF centers overwhelmed and aid organizations like Intersos operating on minimal funding and staff, the situation grows direr daily. In Dikwa, Intersos now handles at least 10 new cases of severely malnourished children daily with minimal staff and dwindling resources.

The ripple effects are massive. From food and healthcare to shelter for displaced populations, humanitarian efforts are collapsing. Many families are stranded, and growing desperation is pushing people towards unsafe and violent alternatives.

This crisis is not isolated to Nigeria. In nations like Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Mozambique, the funding cuts have similarly dismantled life-saving programs. Global solidarity is now needed more than ever to reverse this trend and protect the most vulnerable.