(MENAFN) The United Nations has raised alarm over a deepening hunger crisis across Africa, with its latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI 2025) report revealing that more than one billion people—about two-thirds of the continent’s population—could not afford a healthy diet in 2024.

Published on Monday and compiled by five major UN bodies, including the FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, and WHO, the report evaluates global progress toward eliminating hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition.

Globally, hunger rates saw a slight decline, with 8.2% of the population (approximately 673 million people) affected in 2024—down from 8.5% in 2023. However, the situation worsened significantly in Africa and Western Asia. Hunger levels in Africa rose to over 20%, affecting around 307 million people.

The report projects that by 2030, nearly 60% of chronically undernourished individuals will be in Africa. The number of people on the continent unable to afford a nutritious diet has surged from 864 million in 2019 to more than 1 billion in 2024, despite a global decrease from 2.76 billion to 2.6 billion.

WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain warned that hunger remains at “alarming levels,” while essential funding is shrinking. She said recent funding cuts of up to 40% threaten to strip millions of their only lifeline, potentially reversing progress and fueling instability.


The WFP recently announced a need for $130 million to sustain aid in Nigeria, where over 30 million people face severe food insecurity.

FAO’s chief economist Maximo Torero attributed Africa’s worsening food crisis to low agricultural productivity, population growth, conflict, and the negative impacts of climate change.

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