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By Billy Graham Abel, Yola
The Federal Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with the United Nations and other humanitarian partners, has launched an urgent appeal for $516 million to provide lifesaving assistance to 2.5 million vulnerable people across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States in 2026.
The appeal, unveiled in Abuja on Thursday under the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP), comes amid worsening humanitarian conditions in the North-East, driven by prolonged conflict, mass displacement, food insecurity, climate shocks and declining livelihoods.
Women and children account for nearly 80 per cent of those in urgent need, according to humanitarian officials.
Speaking at the launch, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, warned that humanitarian needs are rising sharply at a time when global funding for emergency response is shrinking.
“Every day that funding gaps persist is a day another malnourished child is pushed closer to a preventable death,” he said, noting that the funding shortfall is already having deadly consequences for vulnerable communities.
The crisis facing children is particularly alarming. Projections for 2026 indicate that about three million Nigerian children under the age of five may suffer from severe acute malnutrition, with one million of them located in the three conflict-affected North-East states.
In addition, nearly 35 million Nigerians are expected to face acute food insecurity during the 2026 lean season, including 5.8 million people in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, underscoring the scale of the unfolding emergency.
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The humanitarian plan also signals a strategic shift towards nationally led humanitarian action, as international funding continues to decline. This transition, officials stressed, will depend on strong collaboration between government institutions and humanitarian partners.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s leadership in the response, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, said the Federal Government remains committed to coordinating relief efforts in line with broader national reforms.
According to him, humanitarian interventions must complement policies aimed at reducing poverty, strengthening human capital and building resilient communities across affected regions.
Governors of the three North-East states—Professor Babagana Zulum of Borno, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa and Mai Mala Buni of Yobe—also pledged deeper collaboration with humanitarian partners to deliver urgent assistance and pursue durable solutions for displaced and conflict-affected populations.
The funding appeal reflects a sharp decline in humanitarian financing. In 2025, the HNRP received $282 million, about half of the amount raised in 2024, resulting in a significant reduction in aid delivery across the region.
Humanitarian actors stressed that additional funding, including increased government investment, is urgently needed to provide food, nutrition, healthcare, clean water, sanitation and protection services. They also highlighted improved security as critical to safeguarding civilians and enabling long-term recovery in the North-East.
The Federal Government called on development partners to align their support with national priorities and sustain engagement during what it described as a critical transition phase for humanitarian response in Nigeria.
As conflict and insecurity continue to displace more than two million people in the North-East, stakeholders warned that failure to act swiftly could deepen human suffering and reverse fragile gains made over the past decade.
