Nigeria: Borno, Adamawa and Yobe - Lean Season Multisectoral Plan (April 2025)

Introduction

The humanitarian crisis in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states has reached alarming levels as we approach the 2025 lean season. This is happening at a time when reduced donor funding for the humanitarian operation in Nigeria has significantly impacted the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP).

Approximately 4.6 million people in the BAY states will face crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity during the peak of the lean season from June to September, as estimated by the March 2025 Cadre Harmonisé analysis. The number of food-insecure people remains high, at the same level as in 2024, underscoring the urgent need for effective interventions. In times of food insecurity, there is a spike in gender-based violence, particularly affecting women and girls. Likewise, many will adopt negative coping mechanisms to survive, such as marrying off their girl children or survival sex.

Simultaneously, the north-east region is grappling with an acute malnutrition crisis, projected to affect 2.6 million children under five in 2025. This includes 1 million children who are likely to suffer from life-threatening severe acute malnutrition (SAM) – double the number in 2024, according to UNICEF. Malnutrition also weakens the immune system, increasing susceptibility to infectious diseases. Contributing factors include insecurity, which is limiting access to farmlands, extreme weather conditions, and high food prices. At the same time, access to healthcare, nutrition, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services is deteriorating rapidly due to drastic cuts in funding for critical humanitarian interventions.

As we approach the lean season, it is imperative that humanitarian responses are even more effectively coordinated to mitigate suffering and address escalating food insecurity and the nutritional and health needs of vulnerable people, particularly children and women, while utilizing limited resources efficiently.

Concurrently, expected flooding in the rainy season, which coincides with the lean season, will displace communities, contaminate water sources, damage sanitation infrastructure, and restrict access to healthcare. This combination significantly elevates the risk of waterborne diseases like cholera and diarrhea, and vector-borne diseases such as malaria. Inadequate WASH support worsens disease outcomes, compromising the overall response as SAM and health emergencies converge. Unless urgently addressed, these co-morbidities could tip the scales, determining whether children survive or not.

To respond to the alarming food insecurity and malnutrition crisis in the lean season, a six-month operational plan, drawn from the 2025 HNRP, has been developed. This plan outlines the immediate and focused response strategies necessary to prevent further deterioration of the crisis. The plan seeks US$159 million immediately for urgent food assistance, nutrition support, emergency health, logistics, protection, and WASH interventions for around 2 million people with the most severe needs.

We urge donors and the Government of Nigeria to increase their contributions for these critical interventions to aid the survival of those affected. Timely food assistance, nutrition, healthcare, and other support, including emergency agriculture interventions, must be fast-tracked in north-east Nigeria and in other parts of the country in critical need.

Mohamed Malick Fall
United Nations Resident and Humanitarian, Coordinator in Nigeria