The European Union has announced a €557 million humanitarian aid package for West and Central Africa, identifying Nigeria’s North-West region as a key focus area within its initial €1.9 billion humanitarian budget for 2026.

The allocation was unveiled on Wednesday by the European Commission amid growing global humanitarian pressures, with an estimated 239 million people worldwide currently in need of assistance and several major donors reducing funding commitments.

According to the Commission, the €557 million allocation will support vulnerable populations across the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin, North-West Nigeria, Central and Southern Africa, the Great Lakes region and the Greater Horn of Africa. The funds will provide life-saving assistance, including emergency food, shelter, healthcare, protection for at-risk groups and education support for children affected by crises.

Beyond Africa, the EU has earmarked €448 million for the Middle East, particularly Gaza, following last year’s fragile ceasefire, as well as Iraq, Yemen, Syria and Lebanon. Ukraine will receive €145 million as Russia’s invasion enters its fourth year, alongside €8 million for humanitarian projects in Moldova.

Other regional allocations include €126 million for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran; €95 million for Central and South America and the Caribbean; €73 million for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, with emphasis on the Myanmar crisis and its spillover into Bangladesh; and €14.6 million for North Africa. An additional €415 million has been reserved for rapid response to sudden emergencies and to maintain a global humanitarian supply chain.

European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, said the decision reflects the EU’s resolve to sustain humanitarian action despite mounting challenges to international aid and humanitarian law.

“The humanitarian system is under unprecedented strain, and public funding alone will not meet the scale of the crisis,” Lahbib said. “Europe is taking responsibility by committing an initial €1.9 billion for 2026 and leading the global response.”

She added that the EU is engaging business leaders and investors in Davos to explore how private sector innovation and financing can complement public aid, including a planned event with the World Economic Forum on January 22.

The EU and its Member States remain the world’s largest humanitarian donors, having provided aid in more than 110 countries since 1992 through partnerships with NGOs, UN agencies and other international bodies. Humanitarian responses are coordinated through the European Emergency Response Coordination Centre. (AriseNews TV)

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