NIGERIA - Child Malnutrition on the Rise

Maryam Aminu was hardly surprised when the last of her six children was diagnosed with malnutrition in April for a second time. She was barely feeding the 18-month-old regularly, let alone with nutritious foods.

Northern Nigeria, one of the world’s poorest regions, is already under pressure from an insurgency crisis. Now, the conflict in the Middle East has worsened food security for millions of people living in poverty, especially children.

If the war in the Middle East continues, up to 23.4 million additional children could fall into monetary poverty—meaning a lack of income or consumption—by the end of the year, the United Nations children’s agency UNICEF said in a report. It warned that at least 80% would be in Africa and Asia.

-apnews.com, 19 July 2026

Commentary: Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country, with over 240 million inhabitants. It is expected to become the world’s third largest in the 2040s, surpassing the USA.

Life expectancy stands at 53 years, and per capita GDP (PPP) is about $10,000.

While Nigeria has made great strides, there is much to be done. For example, infant mortality is still high: from 100,000 live births, 184 died in 1950; in 2025, this has been reduced to 96 deaths (USA: 5.4; much of the EU, 2-3).

Religiously, the nation is divided between a Muslim majority (53.5%) and Christianity at 45.7%.

It is significant to note the statement: “If the war in the Middle East continues, up to 23.4 million additional children could fall into monetary poverty.” The blame for these tragic and worsening conditions will end up falling on Israel. The world’s population is being increasingly indoctrinated to see Israel as the problem, which began their war on 8 October 2023 against the Hamas terrorists in Gaza.

The flareups of aggression and the reaction continue to dominate the news about the Middle East.

Global Christian Relief reports: “Evangelical and Pentecostal churches are experiencing massive expansion across Nigeria today, positioning the nation as home to the third or fourth-largest evangelical population globally.” That is reason for hope.

Global Christian Relief also lists the five nations experiencing the fastest Christian growth: 1) Nigeria, 2) China, 3) India, 4) Indonesia, and 5) Brazil.

Let us invest at least some of our time in praying for the Christians in Nigeria. The quoted article from Global Chistian Relief continues: “This growth is largely fueled by charismatic movements, urban outreach, and high birth rates, despite intense persecution and violence in the predominantly Islamic northern and Middle Belt regions.”

(See Prayer and Revival, Item #1002, $10.95.)