Hunger crisis: Nigeria to get $20m in aid from UN

Amid the hunger crisis in the Northeast of Nigeria, the United Nations has pledged to provide $20 million in aid to support the country.

UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq disclosed this at a news conference on Tuesday at UN headquarters in New York.

“With nine million dollars from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and $11 million from the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund, we will support the Government-led response efforts across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

“Assistance includes […] ready-to-eat food, access to clean water, health care and agriculture support,’’ he said.

According to humanitarian partners, almost 700,000 children under five are likely to suffer from life-threatening severe acute malnutrition this year in the region, and more than half a million people may face emergency levels of food insecurity during the lean season from June to August.

Haq said the emergency funding would help jumpstart the response, but humanitarian partners need more to prevent widespread hunger and malnutrition.

“The $1.3 billion humanitarian response plan for Nigeria is only 26 per cent funded,’’ he said.

In May, UNICEF said about 23 million Nigerians are at risk of acute food insecurity following the prolonged insecurity in the northeast, especially Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states