By Emmanuel Kwada
As the United Nations (UN) continues efforts to address humanitarian crises across Africa, a recent report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) highlights the continent’s most vulnerable populations.
Among the African nations requiring the most assistance, Nigeria ranks ninth, with 7.8 million people in need. The UN aims to support 3.6 million Nigerians in 2025, underscoring a significant humanitarian gap.
With a population exceeding 200 million, Nigeria faces multiple crises, including ongoing conflicts, food insecurity, climate-related disasters, and economic instability.
The northeast, particularly Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states, remains the hardest hit due to the Boko Haram insurgency, which has displaced millions.
The UN’s planned support for 3.6 million falls short of covering even half of those affected, signaling a critical funding and logistical challenge
The northwest and central regions also grapple with farmer-herder conflicts, while flooding and economic hardship compound vulnerabilities nationwide. Despite Nigeria’s high number of people in need, the UN’s planned support for 3.6 million falls short of covering even half of those affected, signaling a critical funding and logistical challenge.
Sudan tops the list with 30.4 million people in need, followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo with 21.2 million. Other nations with significant humanitarian crises include Chad, which has 7.8 million in need with a UN target of 6.5 million, South Sudan with 9.3 million in need and 5.4 million targeted, Mali with 6.0 million in need and 4.7 million targeted, Cameroon with 2.1 million in need, and Mozambique with 1.3 million in need. Mozambique has the lowest figure, with the UN targeting 1.1 million for assistance, highlighting the varying degrees of humanitarian pressure across Africa.
Particularly Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states, remains the hardest hit due to the Boko Haram insurgency, which has displaced millions
As the UN sets its 2025 humanitarian targets, Nigeria’s ranking underscores the urgency of international cooperation and local resilience-building efforts. While the country does not top the list, its 7.8 million people in need reflect a crisis requiring sustained attention. Addressing the root causes—conflict resolution, climate adaptation, and economic stabilization—remains crucial to reducing Nigeria’s humanitarian burden in the years ahead.
