Key Points
- UNICEF says cholera outbreaks are accelerating in six West and Central African countries.
- Nigeria has recorded more than 50,000 cases and 338 deaths since January.
- Seasonal rains, flooding and population movements are worsening transmission.
- UNICEF is seeking $15 million to scale up its regional response.
Main Story
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised concern over the rapid spread of cholera across West and Central Africa, warning that millions of children are increasingly exposed to the disease.
UNICEF said active outbreaks had been reported in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Republic of Congo, Chad, Cameroon and the Central African Republic (CAR).
The agency said Nigeria was currently experiencing the largest reported outbreak in the region, with more than 50,000 cumulative cases and 338 deaths recorded since Jan. 1, 2026.
It said the outbreak had been particularly severe in Borno State, where transmission remained a major concern as of the end of July.
UNICEF said children were disproportionately affected by the outbreaks across the region, with seasonal rains, flooding, displacement and movement across borders contributing to the spread.
Gilles Fagninou, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, said the outbreak was spreading through shared rivers, trade routes and population movements.
He said flooding was also contaminating water sources, damaging sanitation facilities and making it harder for vulnerable communities to access essential services.
Fagninou said the spread of cholera highlighted the continuing lack of access to safe water and sanitation in many communities, adding that the disease could be prevented and treated with appropriate interventions.
UNICEF is seeking an additional $15 million to strengthen its cholera response across the region over the next six months.
The agency said it was working with national and sub-national authorities to expand access to safe water and sanitation, improve disease surveillance, provide essential health supplies and support oral cholera vaccination campaigns.
It added that coordination with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention was being strengthened along major transmission routes.
The Issues
The cholera outbreak is being intensified by flooding, seasonal rains, population displacement and cross-border movement. UNICEF says inadequate access to safe water and sanitation is leaving children particularly vulnerable to a preventable and treatable disease.
What’s Being Said
“This outbreak is no longer confined by borders.” – Gilles Fagninou, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa
“Millions of children are still being denied one of their most basic rights: safe water.” – Gilles Fagninou, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa
“What is needed now is urgency, the investment and the regional solidarity to act before more children lose their lives to a disease that is entirely preventable.” – Gilles Fagninou, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa
What’s Next
UNICEF is seeking $15 million in additional funding to expand its response over the next six months while continuing work on water and sanitation, disease surveillance, medical supplies and cholera vaccination across affected countries.
Bottom Line
Cholera is spreading rapidly across six countries in West and Central Africa, with Nigeria recording the region’s highest reported case burden. UNICEF says stronger regional coordination, funding and access to safe water and sanitation are critical to preventing further deaths, particularly among children.
 has raised concern over the rapid spread of cholera across West and Central Africa, ...){kind=link}