Northeast Nigeria remains one of the world’s most challenging regions for humanitarian operations, experts say, due to ongoing violence by non-state armed groups and socio-economic difficulties exacerbated by climate-related disasters.
According to them, the humanitarian crisis in the area has been ongoing since 2009 and was mainly caused by a violent insurgency by the jihadist group Boko Haram, which later renamed itself the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA).
The conflict has left millions of people facing widespread displacement, food insecurity, and a severe lack of access to essential services. Peace advisers say the crisis began when Boko Haram announced its intention to establish an Islamic state in northeast Nigeria. Undaunted, the Nigerian government responded with military measures and declared a state of emergency.
The situation worsened dramatically with the infamous mass kidnapping of the Chibok schoolgirls, drawing international attention to the plight of those affected by the conflict. Although Boko Haram and its allies have lost significant territory over the years, they continue to perpetrate violence through attacks, kidnappings, and suicide bombings.
Recent reports indicate that an estimated 7.1 million people in the Northeast are in need of humanitarian assistance, including around 2 million internally displaced people living in camps, mainly in military-controlled areas. Sources complain that a staggering number of people, around 1.24 million, remain completely cut off from humanitarian assistance due to ongoing violence and insecurity.
Check found that these people are finding no peace as armed groups pose a significant threat to both aid workers and civilians seeking to receive aid. Many areas in the affected regions remain inaccessible due to conflict dynamics and bureaucratic obstacles.
The crisis has disproportionately affected vulnerable groups, including women, children, and people with disabilities. Cases of child malnutrition and food insecurity have been reported to be increasing among affected populations. The UN notes that many people fleeing rebel-held areas often arrive malnourished and traumatized, without basic services for extended periods.
In all this, a new Humanitarian Needs Response Plan was launched in January 2025 with an appeal for US$910 million to address growing needs from the ongoing conflict occasioned by climatic shocks such as devastating floods. The plan prioritizes critical areas such as food security, access to health care, water sanitation, and efforts to build resilience in vulnerable communities.
Officials stress that while immediate humanitarian intervention is essential to save lives, long-term development strategies that address the root causes of poverty and insecurity are also urgently needed. No doubt, the humanitarian crisis in the Northeast is a complex issue that has been ongoing for several years. The crisis is caused by a confluence of factors including conflict, climate change, and poverty.
The United Nations is actively involved in responding to the crisis, with various organizations providing humanitarian assistance to the affected population. The World Organization is working to help with the humanitarian crisis in northeast Nigeria in various ways, including through donations. The organization is appealing for funds to support its humanitarian aid plan aimed at providing assistance to those affected by the crisis. The plan also includes providing food, shelter, medical care, and other basic services to those in need.
The UN has received donations from a variety of sources, including governments, organizations, and individuals. These donations were used to support humanitarian aid plans, including providing food, shelter, and medical care to those affected by the crisis. Despite these efforts, the crisis continues, and more assistance is needed to meet the needs of those affected.
One of the most significant actions taken by the UN in recent years was to appeal for assistance to address the humanitarian crisis in the northeast of the country, particularly in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states. In return, the international organization is appealing for a total of just over $910 million to provide life-saving assistance to some 3.6 million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
The request is part of Nigeria’s Humanitarian Needs Response Plan (HNRP) for 2025. This comes against the backdrop of the fact that humanitarian needs in the region are driven by a variety of factors, including ongoing conflict, climatic shocks, and economic instability. The situation is exacerbated by floods, disease outbreaks, food shortages, and malnutrition, further increasing the vulnerability of the population.
Mohammed Malick Fall, UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, stressed that these challenges require not only immediate humanitarian intervention but also long-term development and peace efforts. It is feared that an estimated 7.8 million people in these states will be in need of some form of humanitarian assistance by 2025.
The HNRP aims to prioritize vulnerable groups such as women, children, and people with disabilities while addressing urgent needs through various forms of assistance, including food and nutrition assistance. Despite the urgent needs outlined in the plan, sources say that global funding for humanitarian operations has declined significantly. For example, in 2024, only about 57% of requested funds were allocated to similar efforts.
This highlights the urgent need for donor countries, including private companies, to increase donations to fill existing funding gaps, as HNRP 2025 focuses on improving the efficiency of aid delivery by implementing preventative measures of preparing before disasters occur and increasing direct funding to local partners who are often on the frontline of aid delivery.
This strategic shift is aimed at ensuring that resources are used effectively to meet the most urgent needs of affected people. The UN aid appeal therefore emphasizes a multifaceted approach combining immediate assistance and long-term solutions aimed at alleviating the suffering and reducing the vulnerability of people affected by the ongoing crisis in northeast.
Onwumere writes from Rivers State.
