Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto
The worsening malnutrition crisis in Nigeria is more than just an immediate health emergency it leaves behind deep, lasting scars on children’s physical and mental development.
As cases surge across the northern region, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is calling attention to the urgent and long term consequences of childhood malnutrition.
In northern Nigeria, particularly during the seasonal peak of food insecurity, MSF is witnessing a dramatic increase in cases of severe acute malnutrition among children under five.
Many of these children, weakened by hunger, are arriving at MSF supported feeding centres in critical condition, needing intensive medical and nutritional support to survive.
One such centre is the inpatient therapeutic feeding unit at Maiyama General Hospital in Kebbi State.
Here, two-year-old Ummul Khairun Mohammed is being treated for severe acute malnutrition.
She is still unable to walk due to developmental delays caused by prolonged undernourishment.
Ummul’s case is a stark reminder of how malnutrition goes beyond hunger.
Children who survive the initial crisis often face stunted growth, impaired brain development, and chronic health conditions that follow them into adulthood. For many, the journey to recovery is long and uncertain.
“Malnutrition is not just a short-term emergency it is a lifelong struggle,” explains Dr. Jamila Shuaibu Bello, an MSF doctor based in Kano.
She warns that even a brief period of malnutrition can leave a child vulnerable to infections, weakened immunity, and long-term disabilities.
Malnourished children often suffer delays in achieving major developmental milestones.
A child might not crawl by ten months or walk by eighteen months signals of deeper neurological or motor delays.
These setbacks can become permanent, affecting the child’s learning ability and social development.
In addition to the physical impact, the condition also affects children cognitively.
Chronic malnutrition is associated with lower school performance and reduced mental capacity.
These cognitive deficits contribute to the cycle of poverty, as affected individuals are less likely to achieve economic independence later in life.
Girls who experience chronic malnutrition may face additional reproductive health risks.
Stunted growth can lead to a smaller pelvis, increasing the risk of complications during childbirth and raising maternal and infant mortality rates.
In response to this dire situation, MSF teams are delivering emergency care and therapeutic feeding across multiple states in northern Nigeria.
Children receive highly fortified food and round-the-clock medical attention to address immediate health concerns and promote rapid weight gain.
Despite these efforts, humanitarian workers emphasize that short-term treatment is not enough. Long-term solutions, such as improved food security, maternal education, and access to health care, are critical to preventing future malnutrition cycles.
MSF is urging both local and international stakeholders to scale up sustainable interventions, including nutrition programs, clean water access, and poverty alleviation efforts.
Without coordinated action, the long-term burden of malnutrition will continue to devastate entire generations.
As Nigeria continues to face climate shocks, economic instability, and insecurity, the most vulnerable its children remain at greatest risk.
MSF’s warning is clear: addressing malnutrition is not only about saving lives today, but also about protecting the potential of tomorrow.
