July 29, 2026 | Sokoto / Abuja
A sharp rise in fuel prices this year is being blamed for a surge in malnutrition cases in parts of Nigeria, as families struggle to afford food and basic necessities.
According to a World Bank technical report released this week, petrol pump prices climbed from ₦800 per liter in February to ₦1,400 per liter in April. The jump followed disruptions to global oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz amid the war in the Middle East. The higher transport and production costs have since pushed up prices of food, fertilizer and other essentials.
The impact is already visible in hospitals. In Sokoto, northwestern Nigeria, health workers say they are treating more children who had recovered from malnutrition but have now relapsed.
At one hospital in Sokoto, records show nearly 40 children previously treated for malnutrition since February are currently back under treatment, in addition to new cases that are not documented. “I am worried and sometimes angry about the increasing numbers we are seeing,” said health worker Halimah Muhammad.
For many households like that of Maryam Aminu, the combination of higher food prices and low income has made it harder to keep children properly fed. Aminu was photographed this month caring for her daughter Farisa, who has relapsed into malnutrition.
UNICEF also warned this week that the global fallout from the Middle East conflict could push up to 23.4 million more children into poverty by year end, with at least 80% in Africa and Asia.
Economists say if fuel and food prices remain high, more families risk slipping deeper into poverty in the coming months, worsening nutrition outcomes especially in the North-West and North-East. Humanitarian agencies are calling for urgent support to food programs and health facilities to cushion the effect.
