UNICEF: One in Ten Children in Zamfara at Risk of Death Due to Severe Malnutrition

The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has reported that at least 5.4 million children under the age of five are experiencing acute malnutrition in Nigeria’s Northwest and Northeast regions.

This alarming update was shared on Wednesday evening by Cristian Munduate, UNICEF’s Representative in Nigeria, during a press briefing at the Command Guest House in Gusau, Zamfara State.

Munduate highlighted the gravity of the crisis, underscoring the devastating impact on millions of children in Zamfara and beyond.

“The numbers we face are staggering, nearly 5.4 million children under five in the northwest and northeast are suffering from acute malnutrition, with projections indicating an additional one million cases by April 2025,” she stated.

Munduate revealed that Zamfara alone is home to 1.2 million children, with 250,000 of them affected by Severe Acute Malnutrition, meaning that one in every 10 children is at imminent risk. “Wasting affects one in 10 children, while stunting among children aged 0 to 5 years is at an alarming 45.2 per cent,” she added.

In addition to the malnutrition crisis, she shared concerning health statistics, including a neonatal mortality rate of 42 per 1,000 live births, and a low attendance rate for essential maternal care with only 21.5 per cent of pregnant women attending 4+ antenatal visits. Institutional deliveries are equally low at just 15 per cent, and only 13 per cent of 62,000 pregnant women have access to skilled birth attendants.

Munduate also drew attention to the dismal immunisation rates, with Penta 3 coverage at a critical low of just 9.6 per cent. In education, the situation is equally dire, with over 700,000 children—62 per cent—out of school. She also noted that 60 per cent of girls are at risk of child marriage, perpetuating the cycle of poverty.

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