More than 55 million people across West and Central Africa are facing severe food insecurity as conflict, displacement, economic strain, and shrinking humanitarian aid collide.
According to Prof. Mukhtar Imam, a Nigeria based international relations expert, the crisis is accelerating faster than governments and donors are responding.
Humanitarian agencies, including the World Food Programme, warn that without urgent funding, millions will fall deeper into hunger. The WFP has called for over $453 million to sustain operations in the region, a figure that highlights both the scale of need and the fragility of current support systems
“It’s an unfortunate reality that people are faced with severe hunger, malnutrition, and suffering,” Prof. Mukhtar says.
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Shrinking humanitarian support
Recent reductions in international aid have intensified pressure on already fragile communities. Inflation, particularly food inflation exceeding 20 percent in several countries, has made basic staples unaffordable for many households. Women, young people, and displaced families are bearing the heaviest burden.
“The cuts in aid have drastically affected their ability to support people who are below the poverty line,” Prof. Mukhtar explains.
While emergency aid remains critical in the short term, reliance on external funding has created long-term vulnerabilities. Global aid fatigue and shifting political priorities have exposed how unstable donor-dependent systems can be.
“There is aid fatigue across the world,” he notes.
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Governance and accountability
Beyond funding shortages, Prof. Mukhtar points to corruption and weak governance as core drivers of hunger and instability. Mismanagement of resources, political exclusion, and prolonged insecurity have disrupted farming, displaced communities, and eroded trust in public institutions.
“Corruption is the bane of all the things we’re talking about here,” he says.
In regions such as northern Nigeria, vast stretches of fertile land remain abandoned due to violence and neglect, directly undermining food production. Without accountability, Prof. Mukhtar argues, even restored aid will offer only temporary relief.
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Shifting power structures
The discussion also touches on political changes in countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, where younger military leaders have taken power promising reform and stronger control over national resources. Prof. Mukhtar acknowledges the frustration driving these shifts but warns that history shows how easily reformist agendas can collapse without institutional checks.
Despite these risks, he remains cautiously hopeful. “I am one of those unrepentant optimists of the Nigerian and African dream,” he says.
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Untapped agricultural wealth
Africa’s paradox remains stark. The continent holds vast arable land and mineral resources, yet continues to struggle with hunger. Imam stresses that long-term food security depends on governments investing in agriculture, managing resources transparently, and enabling communities to return to productive land.
“With the resources we have on this continent, we shouldn’t be talking about aid and dependence on foreign support,” he says.
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Social order and dignity
For Prof. Mukhtar, the hunger crisis is not only humanitarian but social and psychological. A functioning social order, he argues, is the foundation for political and economic stability. Without dignity, access to food, and opportunity, desperation fuels conflict and unrest.
“Nobody from out there is coming to fix your problem,” he says. “Leadership is about the ordinary people.”
As hunger deepens across West and Central Africa, the path forward is clear but difficult. Emergency aid may save lives today, but lasting food security will depend on leadership that places people, accountability, and self-reliance at the center of governance.
For more on this story, watch the interview below:
Image via Save The Children.
