Number of undernourished people (millions) in Western Africa
Western Africa: Number of undernourished people (millions) was 78.4 num m in 2025. ▲ Rising
Number of undernourished people in Western Africa, 2000–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in num m.
Analysis
In 2025, number of undernourished people in Western Africa stood at 78.4 num m. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 83.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of undernourished people in Western Africa peaked at 78.4 num m in 2025 and was at its lowest, 34.9 num m, in 2000.
That places Western Africa 10th out of 28 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Number of undernourished people (millions) in Western Africa, year by year
| Year | num m | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 34.9 num m | — |
| 2001 | 35.3 num m | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 35.6 num m | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 35.1 num m | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 35.5 num m | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 35.6 num m | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 35.5 num m | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 35.9 num m | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 35.3 num m | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 35.8 num m | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 37.6 num m | +5.0% |
| 2011 | 40.4 num m | +7.4% |
| 2012 | 41.7 num m | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 43.7 num m | +4.8% |
| 2014 | 43 num m | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 42.8 num m | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 44.1 num m | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 44.7 num m | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 47.6 num m | +6.5% |
| 2019 | 47.6 num m | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 57.3 num m | +20.4% |
| 2021 | 60 num m | +4.7% |
| 2022 | 66.3 num m | +10.5% |
| 2023 | 75.2 num m | +13.4% |
| 2024 | 77.8 num m | +3.5% |
| 2025 | 78.4 num m | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 35.45 num m | 34.9 num m | 35.9 num m | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.32 num m | 37.6 num m | 47.6 num m | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.17 num m | 57.3 num m | 78.4 num m | 6 |
Countries ranked near Western Africa
- 7 Kenya 19.7 num m compare
- 8 Indonesia 18 num m compare
- 9 Bangladesh 14.3 num m compare
- 10 Madagascar 13.3 num m compare
- 11 United Republic of Tanzania 13.1 num m compare
- 12 Democratic People's Republic of Korea 12.2 num m compare
- 13 Afghanistan 11.9 num m compare
More development goals data for Western Africa
- Number of refugees per 100,000 population, by country of origin 264.83 per 100,000 people (2025)
- Manufacturing value added per capita 200.3 constant US$ (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds 131 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds (not extinct) 127 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds with unknown risk status 99 (2025)
- Number of local breeds with unknown risk status 171 (2025)
- Number of local breeds (not extinct) 208 (2025)
- Number of local breeds kept in the country 216 (2025)
- Alcohol consumption per capita (aged 15 years and older) within a 2.14 ltpureal (2024)
- Children moderately or severely stunted 19,877 num th (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of undernourished people in Western Africa?
- Number of undernourished people in Western Africa was 78.4 num m in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest number of undernourished people recorded in Western Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 78.4 num m in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of undernourished people recorded in Western Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.9 num m in 2000.
- How does Western Africa rank for number of undernourished people?
- Western Africa ranks 10th out of 28 groups with data for 2025.
- Is number of undernourished people rising or falling in Western Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 83.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Western Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Number of undernourished people (millions). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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