Bukola Afeni
The European Union (EU) has announced a €500,000 (over ₦900 million) humanitarian aid package to provide emergency support for children and mothers suffering from severe acute malnutrition in northeastern Nigeria.
This was disclosed in a statement by the European Union.
The EU attributed the worsening situation to ongoing conflict, insecurity, displacement, and economic hardship, as well as climate-related shocks such as flooding.
“The nutrition crisis is worsening, driven by ongoing conflict and growing insecurity. This has led to prolonged displacement, a loss of livelihoods, and a significant reduction in vulnerable families’ access to essential healthcare services.”
In the Northeast (Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States) and Northwest (Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara States) of Nigeria, the union revealed that “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.”
The funding will be channeled through the Nigeria Red Cross Society and is expected to assist approximately 170,000 households across nine northern states, Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara either affected by or at risk of malnutrition.
The statement further revealed that, the aid will directly support lifesaving treatment for over 30,000 children in critical need.
The intervention includes community outreach and malnutrition screening, outpatient care using ready-to-use therapeutic food for uncomplicated cases, and referrals of severe cases to health centres for specialized treatment, all in line with Nigeria’s national health protocols.
“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.
“This 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 added.
