The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has issued an urgent warning about the humanitarian situation in Cameroon. A massive funding gap threatens to derail lifesaving assistance for hundreds of thousands of displaced and vulnerable people. The warning comes as the country struggles with a neglected humanitarian crisis marked by overlapping emergencies.
Cameroon continues to face a complex humanitarian situation driven by protracted conflict in the Northwest and Southwest, a cholera outbreak, attacks by armed groups and insecurity in the Far North, as well as climate-related shocks. This year, approximately 2.9 million people require humanitarian assistance.
According to WFP’s latest country brief, released on Friday, the UN agency currently facing a critical funding shortfall of more than 90 percent of its requirements for the next six months, which puts lifesaving assistance at imminent risk.
While WFP requires a total of US$40.4 million to sustain operations through December 2026, the agency is calling for an immediate $25.5 million to maintain emergency aid for refugees, internally displaced people (IPDs), and the most vulnerable host communities.
The escalating food insecurity in the country is a stark reflection of the impact of the crisis. Between June and August 2026, some 2.9 million people are expected to face crisis levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3) or worse, with 250,000 individuals projected to experience emergency levels of hunger (IPC Phase 4).
Nutritional conditions for children remain dire. Currently, 29 percent of children under five are affected by stunting, with rates climbing as high as 40 percent in certain areas.
Despite the severe financial constraints, WFP continues to implement large-scale operations to alleviate people's suffering. In June 2026 alone, the agency provided assistance to nearly 124,000 people, distributing 291 metric tons of food and transferring $505,000 in cash.
In the Far North and Adamawa regions, WFP provided food and unconditional cash transfers to residents and IDPs, while providing cash vouchers to some 30,000 Nigerian refugees in the Minawao camp to purchase essential food supplies.
At the same time, the agency is prioritizing the management of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). To this end, the WFP provided 141 metric tons of specialized nutritious foods (SNFs) to children aged six to 59 months, as well as to pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls.
WFP is also attempting to bolster long-term resilience and prepare for environmental disasters. The agency has begun flood preparedness efforts targeting 20,000 people in the Far North Region. However, it notes that funding of just one month of that assistance requires $900,000.
In a report, also released Friday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that limited funding remains a major obstacle to the food security response in Cameroon, especially in the Northwest and Southwest regions (NWSW).
The lack of resources has significantly reduced operational capacity, leaving several humanitarian organizations unable to implement planned food security activities. Consequently, critical needs remain unmet in many affected communities, and the scale and geographical coverage of assistance continue to fall short of persistent humanitarian needs.
Cameroon is navigating two major crises simultaneously: armed clashes between non-state armed groups (NSAGs) and state security forces (SSF) in the NWSW and persistent insurgencies and climate-driven shocks in the Far North.
These interconnected crises have resulted in the forced displacement of over 2.2 million people, including more than 410,000 refugees, 1 million IDPs, and over 790,000 IDP and refugee returnees.
In its report, OCHA emphasized that humanitarian needs remain acute in the NWSW. The lack of resources has adversely affected agricultural production, disrupted market functioning, and weakened food security and other economic activities. Access to essential services, including education and healthcare, remains limited in several areas due to insecurity and the proximity of armed groups to civilian infrastructure.
Overall, the operational environment in the NWSW regions remains highly challenging. Access constraints, a limited presence of responders in some areas, and persistent funding gaps continue to hinder response efforts. OCHA noted that these challenges are expected to further reduce operational capacity and exacerbate humanitarian needs in the coming months.
The humanitarian situation in the NWSW regions has remained dire in recent months, marked by attacks from parties to the conflict, kidnapping for ransom, arbitrary arrests, illegal checkpoints, illegal payment demands, roadblocks, and worsening protection concerns.
Clashes between state security forces and non-state armed groups continue across several divisions. This unstable security context erodes livelihoods, disrupts access to essential services, and exacerbates humanitarian needs among affected populations.
Population displacement persists, with new waves recorded in the Momo and Mezam divisions of the Northwest region and the Manyu division of the Southwest region. Displaced populations have sought refuge in neighboring communities and forested areas under precarious conditions.
Many have faced limited access to adequate shelter, food, non-food items, healthcare, and protection services. Ongoing insecurity impedes safe and voluntary returns, and repeated displacements further erode household coping capacities and increase vulnerabilities among affected populations.
Meanwhile, the Far North region is heavily impacted by a cholera outbreak and ongoing attacks by non-state armed groups, particularly in hard-to-reach areas that are already under significant strain.
Beyond these immediate security and health threats, humanitarian needs and vulnerabilities remain high across the Far North region. Displaced people in different divisions face severe protection risks and limited access to essential services.