Projections for 2026 indicate that over 42 million individuals will require life-saving support and security in countries including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Chad.

Charles Bernimolin, who leads OCHA’s Regional Office for West and Central Africa, issued a stark warning: “Without immediate and substantial resources, families in West and Central Africa will endure heightened levels of hunger, forced displacement, and protection risks, leading to intensified suffering.”

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that the region is grappling with a deepening humanitarian emergency affecting millions. Relentless violence, protracted conflicts, and severe environmental disasters are consistently forcing families from their homes, severely undermining their ability to meet basic necessities.

Escalating Insecurity in the Central Sahel and Lake Chad Basin

The pervasive insecurity originating in the Central Sahel—especially in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—is now spilling over into neighboring countries such as Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Mauritania. Concurrently, instability within the Lake Chad Basin and the ongoing conflict in Sudan are compelling even more individuals to seek refuge.

Consequently, millions remain displaced across the region, encompassing 12.7 million internally displaced persons and 3.7 million refugees and asylum seekers. A significant proportion of these are women and children, frequently forced to flee multiple times, facing heightened risks including gender-based violence and exploitation, with disturbing reports of rape and survival sex.

As violence proliferates, climate change further intensifies existing vulnerabilities. In 2025 alone, severe rainfall and extensive flooding impacted over 2 million people across 12 nations, annihilating crops, damaging homes, and disrupting access to essential schools and healthcare facilities. The Democratic Republic of Congo experienced particularly devastating effects, with more than 830,000 individuals impacted.

The Devastating Repercussions of Funding Shortfalls

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

OCHA highlights that despite donor generosity in 2025, humanitarian operations across the region were severely hampered by a critical funding deficit. Out of the $7.8 billion required, only $1.8 billion was secured, representing a mere 24% of the necessary funds.

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

The repercussions of these budget reductions have been devastating. For instance, in the Central African Republic, the count of people receiving crucial cash assistance dropped by 75%, severely restricting their ability to address immediate needs. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, where conflict triggered extensive new displacements, a staggering 85% of individuals targeted for shelter aid received no support whatsoever.

Notwithstanding these profound funding constraints, humanitarian partners remain committed to addressing priority needs throughout West and Central Africa. 

By the close of 2025, humanitarian workers will have delivered some form of assistance to 19 million people across this region. However, humanitarian agencies emphasized that “the persistent lack of funding prevented millions more from receiving vital support.”