By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has raised concern over a $160 million funding shortfall for its 2025 humanitarian operations in Nigeria, following recent aid cuts by the U.S. government.
Francis Butich, UNICEF Chief of the Maiduguri Field Office, made the appeal on Monday during the commemoration of World Humanitarian Day in Maiduguri.
He disclosed that only $95 million of the required $255 million has been secured, leaving a 67% gap.
“We are all aware of the global funding cuts that have threatened humanitarian operations across the world.
“The impact is profoundly crushing at the local level, where conflict, climate change, and disease outbreaks are recurrent,” Butich said.
He noted that the situation in Nigeria’s North East remains dire, with communities grappling with flooding, poor services in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), camps, and ongoing conflict.
Despite the funding challenges, UNICEF has provided health services to over 1.3 million people, treated 340,000 children for severe malnutrition, supplied safe water to 185,000 people, and enrolled 500,000 displaced children in schools.
Butich urged donors, the private sector, and government at all levels to scale up funding for local governments and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), delivering critical services such as nutrition, immunisation, healthcare, and child protection.
He further encouraged Nigerians to support humanitarian work through donations, volunteering, advocacy, and raising awareness on social media and within communities, stressing the need for sustained support to frontline workers and vulnerable populations.
