By 2026, an estimated 42 million people will require life-saving assistance and protection in countries including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Chad.

Charles Bernimolin, who leads the regional office of OCHA (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) for West and Central Africa, issued a stark warning: “Without immediate resources, families in West and Central Africa will face escalating hunger, displacement, and protection risks, leading to intensified suffering.”

OCHA reports that the region is grappling with a deepening humanitarian crisis impacting millions. Persistent violence, ongoing conflicts, and environmental disasters continue to force families from their homes, severely undermining their ability to meet fundamental needs.

Spreading Insecurity in the Central Sahel and Lake Chad Basin

The volatile security situation in the Central Sahel – particularly affecting Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger – is now spilling over into neighboring countries such as Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Mauritania. Concurrently, instability in the Lake Chad Basin and the conflict in Sudan are compelling even more people to flee their homes.

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

As violence expands, climate change further exacerbates vulnerabilities. In 2025, severe rainfall and flooding impacted over 2 million people across 12 nations, destroying agricultural lands, damaging residences, and severing access to educational institutions and health services. The Democratic Republic of Congo experienced a particularly devastating impact, with more than 830,000 individuals affected.

The Devastating Impact of Funding Shortfalls

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

OCHA highlights that despite donor generosity in 2025, humanitarian operations in the region faced a severe funding deficit: only $1.8 billion was received against a requirement of $7.8 billion, representing a mere 24% of the needed funds.

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

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

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

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