In 2026, an estimated 42 million individuals will require life-sustaining support and protection across several nations, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Chad.

“Without immediate and substantial resources, families in West and Central Africa will face escalating hunger, further displacement, and heightened protection risks, leading to intensified suffering,” warned Charles Bernimolin, Head of OCHA’s Regional Office for West and Central Africa.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the region is grappling with a deepening humanitarian crisis impacting millions. Persistent violence, ongoing conflicts, and severe environmental catastrophes continue to uproot families from their homes and erode their capacity to meet fundamental needs.

Escalating Insecurity in the Central Sahel and Lake Chad Basin

The volatile security situation in the Central Sahel region—specifically in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—is now extending its reach into neighboring countries such as Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Mauritania. Concurrently, the instability within the Lake Chad Basin and the conflict in Sudan are compelling even more individuals to seek refuge.

Consequently, millions remain displaced across the region, with figures indicating 12.7 million internally displaced persons and 3.7 million refugees and asylum seekers. The majority of those affected are women and children, frequently forced to relocate multiple times and exposed to increased dangers, including gender-based violence and exploitation, with distressing reports of rape and survival sex.

As violent conflicts spread, climate change further intensifies vulnerabilities. In 2025, torrential rains and widespread flooding impacted over 2 million people across 12 countries, devastating crops, damaging homes, and severing access to vital schools and health facilities. The Democratic Republic of Congo was particularly hard-hit, with more than 830,000 individuals affected.

The Devastating Repercussions of Funding Shortfalls

In the Central African Republic, the number of people receiving cash assistance plummeted by 75%

OCHA highlights that despite the generosity of donors in 2025, humanitarian operations in the region faced a severe funding deficit: out of the $7.8 billion required, only $1.8 billion was received, representing a mere 24% of the total need.

These significant funding gaps compelled humanitarian organizations to scale back their responses and make difficult decisions regarding which areas to prioritize and which highly vulnerable communities could receive support.

Such reductions have had dire consequences. For instance, in the Central African Republic, the number of individuals receiving crucial cash assistance dropped by 75%, severely limiting their ability to address urgent needs. In the DRC, where conflict has triggered new waves of mass displacement, a staggering 85% of people targeted for shelter aid received no support whatsoever.

Despite these funding challenges, humanitarian partners remain committed to addressing critical needs across West and Central Africa.

By the close of 2025, humanitarian workers will have delivered at least one form of assistance to 19 million people in this complex region. However, humanitarian agencies emphasized that “the lack of funding prevented millions more from being reached.”