Millions of vulnerable people in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states in north-east Nigeria are facing a humanitarian and protection crisis due to conflict.

Conflict has caused widespread internal displacement, alarming food insecurity and malnutrition, and outbreaks of diseases such as cholera. The impact of climate change, coupled with high prices of food and essential commodities, and increased population movements, have aggravated the crisis.

Nigeria is on the frontline of the climate crisis. Climate-related shocks continue to exacerbate the needs of the most vulnerable people, as witnessed in the historic flooding across the country last year affecting 4.4 million people.

Despite a significant scale-up of the humanitarian response by the United Nations (UN) and humanitarian partners since 2016 in support of Government efforts, the humanitarian crisis in northeast Nigeria persists.

According to UN activity costing analysis, humanitarian partners will require US $1.3 billion in funding to carry out their activities towards improving the lifesaving and protection needs of 6 million people in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, this year.

This increase reflects broadening and deepening needs in protection, food and nutrition, health care, water, hygiene and sanitation, and shelter among internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, and host communities. Other contributing factors include camp closures and the influx of people fleeing areas under the control of non-state armed groups.

In March 2022, the Federal Government of Nigeria launched its new National Policy on Internally Displaced Persons, reaffirming and clarifying the obligations and responsibilities of the Government to protect, promote, and fulfill the rights of IDPs, returnees, and host communities.

Internal displacement is a key driver of vulnerability for the over 2 million IDPs who are facing formidable challenges accessing food, shelter, protection, and other basics. Most rely on humanitarian aid, with homelessness and rampant insecurity curtailing their movement and preventing access to farms.

The Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) is a framework for the UN, international and national NGOs, civil society, and the private sector to work in support of the Government of Nigeria to meet affected people’s needs in a focused prioritised way.

The HRP has a strengthened focus on gender-specific vulnerabilities. affecting women and girls.

This HRP sets attainable goals to improve the situation of women and girls more strategically, as well as of boys and men. Results will be monitored, and achievements consolidated into the Nigeria roadmap for gender equality programming in emergencies (2022-2024).

To help vulnerable people better protect themselves from the impacts of hazards, such as floods and droughts, the HRP will strengthen anticipatory action.

By going beyond preparedness and contingency planning, this will help to lay the foundation for longerterm recovery among crisis affected people, strengthen resilience, and, where feasible, create pathways for development. This is aligned with our 2021 National Humanitarian-Development-Peace Framework, which aims to make humanitarian response more impactful, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2027 among other relevant plans and frameworks.

Through the HRP, efforts will continue towards localization, including by increasing direct funding to national NGO partners.

The Government and humanitarian partners remain committed to strengthen the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, which is a key tenet of our humanitarian action in north-east Nigeria.

The Government of Nigeria will continue to dedicate more resources, and to strengthen engagement with affected people, humanitarian and development donors and the international community towards a resolution of the crisis in north-east Nigeria.