csrreporters 
On May 6, 2025, Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, and the United Nation (UN) Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mohamed Malick Fall, jointly launched the 2025 Lean Season Response Plan in Abuja. This plan aims to tackle the growing humanitarian crisis and food insecurity in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) states.
Urgent Humanitarian Needs in BAY States
The Lean Season Response Plan seeks $159 million to support over 2 million vulnerable people over the next six months. The intervention focuses on:
- Emergency nutrition and food aid
- Primary healthcare services
- Access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene
- Child protection and agricultural livelihoods
These critical actions target communities most affected by conflict, poverty, and climate change.
Rising Malnutrition and Food Insecurity
The BAY states are facing alarming humanitarian conditions:
- Over 1 million children are at risk of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in 2025—twice the 2024 figure.
- More than 600,000 children need immediate nutrition support to survive the next six months.
- 4.6 million people are projected to experience acute food insecurity during the lean season starting in June.
These figures were confirmed by the Government-led Cadre Harmonisé analysis released in March 2025.
Read also: Sokoto State Partners with FAO, ECOWAS to Strengthen Food Security and Agricultural Development
Government Reaffirms Leadership and Commitment
Minister Yilwatda emphasized the government’s determination to lead a nationally aligned, collaborative response:
“No child in Borno, Adamawa, or Yobe should go to bed hungry. No mother should lose a child to preventable malnutrition.”
He called for swift action to save lives and restore dignity to affected families.
Funding Gaps Threaten Humanitarian Progress
The BAY states continue to endure a 15-year-long humanitarian crisis, worsened by:
- Ongoing conflict
- Economic instability
- Climate shocks
- Significant funding cuts in 2025
These challenges have deeply affected the health and nutrition sectors, with up to 70% of health services and 50% of nutrition services disrupted.
Call for Solidarity and Private Sector Support
UN Coordinator Mohamed Malick Fall warned of the worsening situation:
“Humanitarianism is under threat. Resources are scarce, and millions—especially children—are at risk.”
He urged private sector engagement and emerging donors to join forces with the government to prevent further deterioration.
Conclusion: A Call to Action
The 2025 Lean Season Response Plan prioritizes life-saving aid and also calls for sustainable, locally led solutions. Early and coordinated intervention is essential to protect children under five, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers from the devastating effects of the lean season.