Nigeria sees surge in child malnutrition as Iran war fuels price shock

In the town of Kware in Sokoto state, Maryam Aminu struggled to feed her six children after her husband lost his taxi driver job when petrol prices spiked in February. The price increase was linked to the war in Iran, which disrupted the Strait of Hormuz and caused a worldwide fuel shock. By April, fuel in Nigeria rose from 800 to 1,400 naira per litre, pushing families into deeper hardship. Local health workers report a rise in child malnutrition cases across northern Nigeria, a region already burdened by insurgency and high inflation following President Bola Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidies and currency devaluation.

A World Bank report notes that 139 million Nigerians are now poor or vulnerable. UNICEF warned that up to 23.4 million additional children could fall into monetary poverty by year‑end if the Middle‑East conflict continues, with at least 80 % of those children in Africa and Asia. The agency highlighted the long‑term risks to children’s health and nutrition stemming from the indirect effects of the Iran war.