MSF confirms 652 children died in Katsina State in first half of 2025 as funding cuts cripple nutrition programmes.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) disclosed that 652 children have died from severe malnutrition in Katsina State between January and June 2025—a 208% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
MSF attributed the deaths to drastic reductions in donor funding from the U.S., U.K., and EU, which have crippled the delivery of nutrition services across its Katsina facilities.
The crisis is exacerbated by widespread insecurity in northern Nigeria, with banditry displacing farming families and limiting access to food and healthcare.
Although the Nigerian government allocated ₦200 billion (~$130 million) to fill aid gaps, MSF and other NGOs warn that without sustained international funding, deaths and malnutrition rates will continue to climb.
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