The United Nations has allocated $20 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund (NHF) to address the deteriorating food security and nutrition crisis in North-East Nigeria.
The allocation includes $9 million from CERF and $11 million from NHF, aiming to prevent famine-like conditions. The crisis is expected to affect nearly 700,000 children under five with severe acute malnutrition, as well as over half a million people facing emergency levels of food insecurity.
The funds will support a coordinated multi-sectoral response, including food security interventions, prevention and treatment of malnutrition, agricultural livelihood support, clean water and sanitation hygiene, healthcare, and protection services. However, the allocated funds represent less than five percent of the required funding, highlighting the urgent need for additional resources to save lives and protect vulnerable children in the region.
“Extremely high rates of acute malnutrition and deaths are predicted unless there is a rapid and significant scale-up of humanitarian assistance,” warned Mr. Matthias Schmale, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria. “Government, donors and the international community must make urgent funding available to protect the lives and future of vulnerable children in north-east Nigeria.”
