European Union allocates N900 million to fight malnutrition in Northern Nigeria

By: Michael Mike

The European Union (EU) is allocating €500,000 (over N900 million) in humanitarian aid to provide emergency assistance to children and mothers suffering from severe acute malnutrition in Northern Nigeria as a response to the alarming levels of record from the area.

The funding, according to a statement on Friday by EU, will enable the Nigeria Red Cross Society to assist approximately 170,000 households affected by or at risk of malnutrition in the northern states of Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.

The statement revealed that the aid will specifically support lifesaving activities for over 30.000 children in urgent need of treatment. Community outreach and screening will be integrated with outpatient care for uncomplicated severe cases using ready-to-use therapeutic food while the most complex cases will be referred to health centres for specialised care, all in accordance with national health protocols.

According to the statement, the Red Cross will expand its health and nutrition interventions while contributing to improving the medium-term resilience of the affected families and intensifying efforts in water, protection, sanitation and hygiene.

It revealed that the funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

The statement said in the Northeast (Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States) and Northwest (Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara States), an estimated 5.44 million children under five are acutely malnourished. 2 million are projected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition requiring lifesaving treatment, especially during the peak of the lean season from June to September 2025.

It decried that the nutrition crisis is worsening, driven by ongoing conflict and growing insecurity, which has led to prolonged displacement, a loss of livelihoods, and a significant reduction in vulnerable families’ access to essential healthcare services.

It further lamented that compounding this situation are economic pressures and climate-related shocks such as flooding, as well as sub optimal maternal and child feeding practices.

The European Union and its Member States are the world’s leading donor of humanitarian aid.

The statement claimed that relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity towards people in need around the world, and aims to save lives, prevent, and alleviate human suffering and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises.

Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflicts and disasters every year. Withheadquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the EU provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.

The European Commission has signed a €12 million humanitarian delegation agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), to support the Federation’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to ‘small-scale’ disasters, those that do not give rise toa formal international appeal.

The Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) was established in 1979 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can be replenished by the donors. The delegation agreement between the IFRC and ECHO enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (within its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of €12 million.

European Union allocates N900 million to fight malnutrition in Northern Nigeria