Niger - Key Message Update: Food consumption deficits persist in areas affected by conflict, May - September 2026

Niger Source: Famine Early Warning System Network Please refer to the attached file. Key Messages Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes are expected to persist from May through September in the regions of Tillabéry, Diffa, and northwestern Tahoua , where insecurity has led to poor agricultural production, early depletion of food stocks, and a heavy reliance on markets for both displaced and poor households. Purchasing power is insufficient to allow access to adequate quantities of food amid high prices (millet selling for 300 FCFA/kilogram [kg] compared to the national price of 230 FCFA/kg). Weak labor demand and an increase in the available local labor supply have driven incomes below seasonal averages, forcing households to reduce the number of meals consumed and driving food consumption deficits. Small pockets of households are experiencing Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes, including displaced households that send their children to beg and very poor resident households that are forced to consume seed stocks reserved for the upcoming agricultural season. Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes are observed across nearly the entire country and are expected to persist through September 2026. The affected areas are primarily agricultural, agropastoral, and pastoral zones that are not impacted by conflict and where markets continue to function normally, although prices remain high. Poor households with low incomes and depleted food stocks are the most affected. While households are able to maintain adequate food consumption, they are unable to meet essential non-food needs without resorting to negative coping strategies. Insecurity has increased significantly due to an increase in security incidents and displacement in conflict-affected areas. According to ACLED, the total number of security incidents increased by 33 percent between January and April 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, with increases of 53 percent, 19 percent, and 12 percent recorded in the regions of Tillabé