On Thursday, the United Nations launched a $1.3 billion appeal to assist six million people in northeast Nigeria who have been impacted by conflict, disease, and disaster.
“The large-scale humanitarian and protection crisis shows no signs of abating,” said Matthias Schmale, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria. “An estimated 2.4 million people are in critical need, having been impacted by conflict, disaster, and disease, and need immediate assistance.”
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, child malnutrition is a “ticking time bomb” in Nigeria’s northeast, with the number of children suffering from acute malnutrition expected to rise to two million by 2023, up from 1.74 million last year (OCHA).
Severe acute malnutrition, which is already prevalent, is expected to more than double from 2022 to 697,000 this year.
“Women and girls are the hardest hit,” said Mr. Schmale. “Over 80 percent of people in need of humanitarian assistance across Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states are women and children. They face increased risks of violence, abduction, rape, and abuse.”
Without immediate action, 4,000 people in Bama, Borno state, are expected to face disasters such as starvation, death, and destitution.
Without immediate action, 4,000 people in Bama, Borno state, are expected to face such disasters as starvation, death, destitution, and extremely critical acute malnutrition levels, according to OCHA.
Children, girls, women, and people with disabilities have suffered the most during the devastating 13-year-long armed conflict. They require additional attention in the form of improved access to basic health, nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene, and learning services.
Meanwhile, two million people have been displaced due to conflict, many of them experiencing daily threats to their health and safety.
Non-state armed groups continue to stage unpredictable attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. In addition, the recent closure of camps for internally displaced persons is leading to new vulnerabilities.
In 2022, the UN provided emergency assistance to almost 5 million people in Nigeria in response to these and other crises, including severe malnutrition in the northwest and the worst flooding Nigeria has seen in a decade.
