The European Union has allocated €500,000 (approximately ₦900 million) in humanitarian aid to tackle the escalating malnutrition crisis in Nigeria’s northeastern and northwestern regions.
This emergency funding aims to support lifesaving interventions for children and mothers suffering from severe acute malnutrition, particularly in the states of Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.
In a statement released on Friday, the EU announced that the aid will be implemented through the Nigeria Red Cross Society and is expected to reach around 170,000 vulnerable households across the affected states.
“In response to the alarming levels of malnutrition in northeastern Nigeria, the European Union is providing over ₦900 million in humanitarian support to assist children and mothers in urgent need of care,” the statement read.
Key components of the initiative include community outreach, nutritional screening, and outpatient treatment for children with uncomplicated cases of severe acute malnutrition. More critical cases will be referred to healthcare facilities for specialized care in accordance with national guidelines.
Additionally, the programme will provide lifesaving therapeutic food to more than 30,000 children and strengthen ongoing health and nutrition services offered by the Red Cross.
Beyond emergency food aid, the intervention also aims to build long-term resilience through improved access to clean water, sanitation, hygiene, and protection services.
The funding is part of the EU’s broader contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund, coordinated by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The fund enables rapid humanitarian responses in emergencies that may not receive widespread international attention.
According to the EU, an estimated 5.44 million children under five in northern Nigeria are currently acutely malnourished, with 2 million projected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition and in need of urgent treatment during the upcoming lean season (June to September 2025).
The worsening crisis is driven by a combination of factors, including ongoing conflict, insecurity, displacement, climate-related shocks such as flooding, economic hardship, and limited access to healthcare. Poor maternal and child nutrition practices further exacerbate the situation.
The European Commission’s humanitarian aid office emphasized that this funding underscores the EU’s continued commitment to supporting humanitarian efforts in Nigeria and globally.
