Humanitarian Assistance: EU Donates US$12 million through WFP to Northeast

By: Michael Mike

European Union (EU) gave €11 million (US$ 12 million) in 2024 to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to help feed hungry families and provide support services in the conflict-affected northeast of Nigeria.

A statement on Friday by WFP, said: “In a period of urgent need, the EU’s support enabled the provision of comprehensive food security support to people affected by the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria. Food assistance comprised €6.5 million of the EU contribution.

The statement explained that WFP used these funds to provide life-saving food assistance and nutrition support to 1.4 million vulnerable people living in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states in the northeast region, noting that: “In these states, persistent conflict, climate shocks, high food prices and reduced household purchasing power continue to undermine people’s possibility to feed themselves. The number of hungry people in the northeast is projected to rise to 5 million at the peak of this year’s lean season.”

The WFP Representative and Country Director in Nigeria, David Stevenson said:
“The EU remains one of the largest contributors to WFP operations in Nigeria and we are very grateful for their support”, he added that: “We thank the EU, the Nigerian government authorities and all our other partners who work with us to reach the most vulnerable people in the northeast and provide them with life-saving food assistance.”

According to the statement, the EU’s contribution, channeled through the EU’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department (ECHO), also supported the provision of UN Humanitarian Air Services (UNHAS) to enhance humanitarian access in northeast Nigeria. UNHAS, managed by WFP, provides the humanitarian community with vital common services to reach and operate in areas of humanitarian crisis in the region.

The WFP said: “Thanks to partners such as the EU, UNHAS achieved remarkable results in 2024, transporting over 28,500 passengers and airlifting some 416 metric tons of humanitarian cargo. UNHAS also chartered an additional helicopter and opened a new route (Maiduguri-Damaturu) to enhance access in the northeast. The EU provided €4.6 million to UNHAS, 20% of total UNHAS contributions in 2024.”

“As our largest partner in Nigeria, ECHO plays a strategic role in our responding to the crisis. During unprecedented floods in 2024, UNHAS was able to reach locations that were impossible to access by road. UNHAS stepped in to deliver medical equipment, nutrition assistance and other humanitarian supplies to the most hard-to-reach locations and to the most vulnerable people,” said UNHAS Nigeria, Denys Saltanov, Chief.

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organisation, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

While the EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) financed by the European Union and its Member States, is the world’s leading donor of humanitarian aid, using relief assistance as an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world. It 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 department, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the EU provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.

Humanitarian Assistance: EU Donates US$12 million through WFP to Northeast