The humanitarian medical organisation, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), says it treated 353,989 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition through outpatient programmes across Nigeria in 2025.
This is contained in a statement issued on Friday in Birnin Kebbi by MSF Country Representative in Nigeria, Ahmed Aldikhari.
He said the report highlights a year marked by worsening malnutrition, recurring disease outbreaks and persistent barriers to maternal healthcare in underserved communities.
Aldikhari said MSF had worked in Nigeria since 1996, responding to disease outbreaks, malnutrition, maternal health emergencies, natural disasters and conflict-related crises.
He said that in 2025, MSF operated medical projects in 10 states, including Bauchi, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara, and established a new presence in Kaduna State.
He added that the organisation also responded to emergencies in Niger and Adamawa states where humanitarian needs remained severe.
“In collaboration with health authorities, MSF teams treated more than 440,000 children for malnutrition, more than 300,000 people for malaria, and assisted over 33,500 deliveries across Nigeria.
“These interventions delivered lifesaving healthcare services in some of the country’s most underserved and crisis-affected communities,” Aldikhari added.
He said 2025 recorded the highest number of malnutrition admissions in recent years, driven by a worsening cycle of disease, food insecurity and limited healthcare access.
According to him, conflict, insecurity, displacement, inflation, flooding, drought and rising food prices continue to worsen access to food and healthcare.
He said MSF continued to support vaccination campaigns, disease control, emergency response and maternal healthcare services in collaboration with health authorities nationwide.
