Malnutrition cases recorded at health facilities supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross in northeast Nigeria rose by 18 per cent between January and September 2026, the humanitarian organisation has said.

In a statement on Friday, the ICRC said admissions at six health centres and four hospitals increased from about 17,000 cases during the same period in 2025 to nearly 20,000 in 2026.

It said that young children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are the hardest hit.

The ICRC said Mubi in Adamawa State recorded the sharpest increase, with admissions rising by nearly 24 per cent from about 4,600 in the first nine months of 2025 to approximately 5,700 during the corresponding period in 2026.

It explained that stabilisation centre mothers wait in line with their young children for a check of their nutritional status, adding that among them is Zulaihatu Mohammed, holding six-month-old Huseina, one of her twins.

“When I gave birth to them, this one was tiny,” says Ms Zulaihatu. “I came today for the routine collection of children’s food. She is not feeling well. Since I gave birth to her, she has been unwell.”

It noted that Ms Mohammed’s experience reflected the challenges families face across North-Eastern Nigeria, where armed conflict, climate shocks and economic pressures have disrupted livelihoods and made it harder to put meals on the table.

The ICRC said it partners with the Nigerian Red Cross and supports 15 primary healthcare centres and four hospitals across Nigeria to address malnutrition. 

ICRC said it also works with more than 200 communities on malnutrition treatment and food security programmes.

The interventions include distributing seeds suited to drought and flooding, promoting crop diversity and teaching mothers how to prepare nutritious meals for their children.

One initiative involves Tom Brown, a locally prepared nutritional blend made from sorghum, millet, soybeans, groundnuts and moringa.

It added that Nigeria is placed among the world’s hunger hotspots of highest concern, alongside Sudan, Yemen, Somalia and Gaza.