India has by far the most undernourished people in absolute terms, and Nigeria is second at over 50 million

Key Takeaways

  • India has the most undernourished people, at 142.5 million, nearly three times Nigeria’s 51.6 million.
  • Nigeria ranks second globally, with 51.6 million undernourished people.
  • Six of the top 10 countries are African, including DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar and Tanzania.
  • Madagascar has the highest prevalence, at 41.8%, followed by DR Congo at 39.5%.
  • Nigeria’s prevalence is 22.2%, more than twice India’s 9.8%.

India has the world's largest undernourished population in absolute terms: 142.5 million people, more than double Nigeria's. Yet its 9.8% prevalence ranks third-lowest on this list, behind only Indonesia (6.3%) and Bangladesh (8.2%).

Six of the top 10 countries by absolute undernourished population are African: Nigeria, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, and Tanzania, together accounting for a significant share of the 663.3 million people undernourished worldwide in 2023–25.

Source:

FAO; The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026

Period:

2023–25
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