The United Nations Children’s Fund has warned of an impending humanitarian crisis in Nigeria, following a major funding shortfall that threatens critical health, nutrition, education and water projects across the country.

Speaking in Maiduguri on Monday during the 2025 World Humanitarian Day commemoration, the UNICEF Chief of Maiduguri Field Office, Francis Butichi, disclosed that the organisation had received only $95m out of the $255m required for this year’s operations, leaving a $160m (N240bn) gap — a 67 per cent shortfall.

“We are all aware of the global funding cut that has threatened humanitarian operations across the world. The impact is profoundly crushing at the local level, where conflict, climate change and disease outbreaks are recurrent,” Butichi said.

He lamented that many communities in the North-East are already grappling with floods and shrinking services in Internally Displaced Persons camps.

“UNICEF calls on all of us to get involved in local humanitarian efforts, whether through donations, volunteering, or advocacy. The needs are many,” he added.

Despite the constraints, UNICEF said it had reached over 1.3 million people with health services, treated 340,000 children for severe malnutrition, provided safe water for 185,000 people and enrolled 500,000 displaced children in schools.

Butichi urged the private sector, government and donors to channel more support to local governments and civil society organisations that provide frontline services.

“Life-saving nutrition, immunisation, health and protection services for conflict, flood and displaced communities must not stop,” he stressed.

Northern states brace for impact

Meanwhile, some northern state governments say they are taking steps to cushion the effects of the looming funding crisis.

In Gombe, the Director-General of Press Affairs, Government House, Ismaila Misilli, told The PUNCH that the state had anticipated the challenge and made budgetary provisions to support vulnerable populations.

“Before the US policy of cutting USAID and other agencies’ funding, Gombe State had already taken proactive measures,” he said. “We provided special budgetary allocations for healthcare, education, human capital development and out-of-school children. So, there is a plan along that line.”

Kebbi State also expressed its commitment to sustaining UNICEF-backed programmes.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Idris, said the state had already paid its counterpart funding and would not relent.

“The issue of UNICEF being broke is not our concern. What matters is that, as a government, we have paid our counterpart funding to all donor agencies operating in Kebbi State,” he said. “Even if UNICEF faces funding constraints, this administration will not relax.”

Similarly, a top official in Sokoto confirmed that Governor Ahmed Aliyu recently approved N500m as counterpart funding for UNICEF projects across key sectors, while also setting aside extra funds for service delivery.

“The government is committed to sustaining UNICEF programmes, particularly in health, education and humanitarian support,” the source said.

In Jigawa, however, officials admitted that the funding gap could severely affect delivery of critical health services such as nutrition, immunisation, and access to safe water.

A senior health ministry official said the state was intensifying vaccination campaigns, malnutrition treatment and clean water supply through partnerships with civil society and community volunteers.

“Many vulnerable residents depend on these services, especially with recurrent floods and displacement caused by climate and security issues,” the official noted, stressing the urgency of collective action. (PUNCH)