Nigeria?s leading public policy think tank, Nextier, has raised concern over the plight of more than eight million Nigerians displaced by conflicts and climate-induced shocks, warning that critical services in affected areas are being disrupted due to funding constraints.

The think tank, in a statement on Wednesday, stressed the need to rethink Nigeria?s dependence on dwindling international aid and explore innovative approaches to resilience.

The group noted that ongoing conflicts and insecurity in northern Nigeria have displaced over 3.5 million people, putting immense pressure on local infrastructure and essential services in host communities.

The influx, it added, has deepened competition for scarce resources, limited livelihood opportunities, and increased vulnerability to natural disasters such as flooding.

Nextier observed that flooding in Nigeria continues to cause widespread destruction, resulting in loss of lives, displacement, and severe economic hardship through damage to homes, infrastructure, and agriculture. It also triggers major health crises ? including outbreaks of waterborne diseases and long-term psychological trauma ? particularly among vulnerable populations such as children and youth.

The organization further warned that climate change continues to worsen the plight of internally displaced persons (IDPs) through food insecurity, disease outbreaks, and recurring environmental disasters that perpetuate cycles of displacement.

?These challenges,? Nextier cautioned, ?keep many IDPs trapped in prolonged hardship and vulnerability, especially in fragile regions like northern Nigeria.?

Announcing plans to host a high-level policy dialogue aimed at charting a sustainable development path for the country, Nextier explained that the policy session, scheduled for Friday, is themed: ?Building Resilience Beyond Aid: Nigeria?s Path to Sustainable Development.?

According to Nextier, the event will focus on identifying practical and scalable models to reduce aid dependency while safeguarding critical services in health, education, food security, and livelihoods.

The dialogue will convene senior policymakers, philanthropy leaders, civil society actors, diaspora representatives, and private sector partners to engage in evidence-based discussions and develop actionable strategies for resilience and sustainable growth in Nigeria and across Africa.

The two-hour programme, holding from 10 a.m. to noon, will feature presentations, a panel discussion, and audience engagement. It will open with a welcome address by Kole Shettima of the MacArthur Foundation (Nigeria), followed by goodwill messages from the Ford Foundation, Luminate, and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs.

The keynote address will be delivered by John Palfrey, President of the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, while Patrick Okigbo III, Founding Partner of Nextier, will present a report.

A panel discussion on ?Building Resilience Beyond Aid: Africa?s Path to Sustainable Development? will follow, featuring contributions from leaders in philanthropy, education, civil society, and the private sector. (The Guardian)

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