The malnutrition crisis in Kebbi State is worsening, placing thousands of children at risk of hunger, disease and premature death as health facilities struggle with rising admissions and families grapple with deepening poverty.
Across rural and urban communities, children with visibly frail bodies, sunken eyes and weakened immunity have become increasingly common, pointing to a humanitarian emergency that extends beyond seasonal food shortages.
Health workers describe the situation as a structural crisis, driven by chronic poverty, food insecurity and fragile healthcare systems. Many households now survive on limited meals, with children often receiving the smallest portions as food prices rise and incomes shrink.
Data from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) shows that admissions of malnourished children in its facilities across Kebbi rose by 74.1 per cent between January and June 2025, indicating a deepening and sustained crisis rather than a temporary surge.
A senior MSF medical officer, Dr Hamza Bello, said that between January and May 2025, 24,784 children were admitted to inpatient therapeutic feeding centres, while 107,461 received outpatient nutrition treatment—representing a 13 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024.
He noted that outpatient services cater for uncomplicated cases of severe acute malnutrition, while critical cases require intensive inpatient care, adding that facilities have at times recorded as many as 400 admissions in a single day.
Findings also revealed that some caregivers travel up to 100 kilometres to access treatment centres, underscoring limited access to specialised healthcare. Health workers reported that many children arrive late, often with complications such as infections and organ failure already present.
Experts attribute the crisis to a combination of factors, including poor infant feeding practices, limited dietary diversity, recurrent illnesses, climate-related agricultural disruptions, insecurity and weak primary healthcare systems.
Civil society groups warn that persistent malnutrition could result in long-term consequences such as impaired brain development, poor academic performance and reduced productivity in adulthood.
MSF has called on the Kebbi State Government to ensure consistent availability of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food and to scale up both preventive and curative nutrition programmes, alongside community-based early intervention.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Commissioner for Health, Hon. Samaila Yakubu Augie, were unsuccessful, as officials at the Ministry of Health said he was out of town. The ministry has faced criticism over its handling of the health sector, following the earlier suspension of a former commissioner over alleged dereliction of duty.
As the crisis deepens, residents fear that without coordinated and sustained action, more children will continue to suffer from preventable hunger and disease, turning malnutrition into a daily struggle for survival across Kebbi communities.