Nigeria to Receive €33m as EU Announces €235m Humanitarian Aid for West, Central Africa

Nigeria to Receive €33m as EU Announces €235m Humanitarian Aid for West, Central Africa

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

The European Commission has announced a €235 million humanitarian assistance package for countries across West and Central Africa, with Nigeria set to receive €33 million to support vulnerable populations affected by conflict and food insecurity.

The funding, disclosed in a statement issued Wednesday by the Press and Information Officer of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Modestus Chukwulaka, is aimed at addressing the growing humanitarian challenges in the region, including displacement, hunger, and limited access to basic services.

According to the breakdown, €75 million has been earmarked for the Central Sahel, while Chad will receive over €72 million. Other allocations include €22 million for the Central African Republic, over €16.6 million for Cameroon, €4.8 million for Mauritania, and more than €6 million for coastal countries. An additional €6.4 million will fund projects with regional reach.

The European Commission said the intervention targets those most affected by ongoing conflicts, food crises, and climate-related shocks, particularly displaced persons, host communities, and populations in hard-to-reach areas.

European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, described the situation in the region as dire, noting that multiple factors continue to compound humanitarian needs.

“West and Central Africa is facing a storm of humanitarian crises, driven by conflict, poverty, hunger, instability, and climate shocks,” she said, recalling her visit to Chad where she witnessed firsthand the plight of displaced families.

She added that for millions, humanitarian support remains essential for survival, providing “food on the table, clean water, medicine, shelter, and a chance for their children to learn again.”

The Commission stressed that conflict remains the primary driver of the crises across the region, worsened by climate change and underlying socio-economic pressures such as governance challenges, population growth, and competition over land and resources.

It identified the Central Sahel and Lake Chad Basin as the epicentres of the humanitarian emergencies, with violence spilling into coastal countries and triggering widespread displacement both within and across borders. The ongoing crisis in Sudan, it added, is further straining conditions in eastern Chad.

In Nigeria, persistent insecurity in the North-West continues to fuel displacement and humanitarian needs, mirroring similar crises in parts of Cameroon and the Central African Republic.

The European Union reaffirmed its commitment to supporting crisis-affected populations, pledging sustained humanitarian engagement to alleviate suffering and restore dignity across the region.