Top 10: Nigeria leads list of countries facing worst hunger levels in the world, UN-FAO report finds

Millions of people across the world are facing worsening food insecurity as armed conflicts, economic pressures, climate-related shocks and cuts to humanitarian assistance deepen hunger in some of the most vulnerable countries.

A joint report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), titled Hunger Hotspots: FAO-WFP Early Warnings on Acute Food Insecurity (June to November 2026 Outlook), warns that food insecurity is expected to deteriorate across 13 countries and territories during the period.

The report identifies Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen and Palestine as the most critical hunger hotspots in terms of the severity and scale of the crisis. Nigeria and Somalia have also been placed in the highest-concern category, with parts of both countries facing the risk of catastrophic hunger.

The figures show the scale of the challenge. Nigeria has an estimated 34.8 million people facing crisis-level hunger or worse, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has 26.5 million and Sudan 19.5 million.

The report uses the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) and the Cadre Harmonisé (CH) to assess the severity of acute food insecurity.

The systems have five phases: Phase 1 (None/Minimal), Phase 2 (Stressed), Phase 3 (Crisis), Phase 4 (Emergency) and Phase 5 (Catastrophe/Famine).

People classified under Phase 3 or above face serious food shortages. Households may be unable to meet their minimum food needs without exhausting essential assets or relying on harmful coping strategies.

At Phase 4, households face large food consumption gaps, with acute malnutrition and excess mortality becoming major concerns. Phase 5 represents the most extreme conditions, involving severe food deprivation, starvation and destitution. A formal Famine classification also requires evidence of critical levels of acute malnutrition and mortality.

Armed conflict and violence remain the main drivers of acute food insecurity in 12 of the 13 hotspots identified by FAO and WFP.

Fighting and displacement have disrupted farming, trade and access to markets, leaving millions unable to secure enough food. The effects are particularly severe in Sudan, eastern DRC and parts of Nigeria, where insecurity has damaged livelihoods and made it difficult for humanitarian organisations to reach affected communities.

Economic pressures are adding to the crisis. High food, fuel, transport and fertiliser costs, currency depreciation and wider economic instability have reduced household purchasing power. The report also warns that the effects of the conflict in the Middle East could further disrupt markets and supply chains.

Climate variability is another major concern. The developing El Niño pattern is expected to bring uneven rainfall, drought and flooding to vulnerable regions, threatening agricultural production and worsening existing food shortages.

The humanitarian funding situation is also deteriorating. FAO and WFP estimate that assistance for food, emergency agriculture and nutrition in crisis contexts declined by 59% between 2022 and 2025, returning to levels last recorded in 2016 and 2017. The reduction comes as millions of people require urgent support.

The following ranking is based on the absolute number of people projected to face Crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity (IPC/CH Phase 3 or equivalent), rather than the percentage of each country's population affected.