United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has identified more than 3.7 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria and over 140,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in the country.

UNHCR representative in Nigeria, Mr Arjun Jain, made this statement during a meeting with the Minister of Budget, Senator Atiku Bagudu in Abuja.

UNHCR team, was led by its representative in Nigeria, Mr Arjun Jain, to discuss the proposed Leadership Alliance for Enterprise, Acceleration and Prosperity (LEAP), an initiative to mobilise private investment for displacement-affected and fragile communities.

He said that the organisation was seeking to move beyond traditional humanitarian assistance by promoting sustainable livelihoods, self-reliance and private-sector investment for displaced and host communities.

According to him, UNHCR has intensified its engagement with the private sector, state governments and development partners to develop practical economic solutions for communities affected by displacement.

He cited the organisation’s partnership with Tropical General Investments (TGI), which is expanding agricultural livelihood opportunities in Benue and Cross River states.

In June 2026, UNHCR announced that the three-year partnership would support more than 5,000 farmers and create more than 10,000 jobs, with refugees, internally displaced persons and host communities among the intended beneficiaries.

Jain said the organisation was also exploring additional financing mechanisms with development finance institutions and commercial banks to provide affordable finance to farmers, displaced populations and other vulnerable communities.

He said that UNHCR was equally implementing community-based early-warning and early-response mechanisms to provide timely information on security developments and to facilitate responses by relevant authorities.

According to him, such systems could also help improve investors’ understanding of the actual conditions in communities often perceived as too risky for investment.

In a statement, the Ministry of Budget explained that although certain areas may be broadly perceived as high-risk, conditions can vary significantly from one local government area or community to another, creating opportunities for more targeted, evidence-based investment decisions.

Jain said the proposed LEAP initiative was designed to build on these experiences by bringing government, private-sector investors, development finance institutions and development partners together.

He said the initiative aims to mobilise $10 billion in investment over five years across 10 states facing displacement and fragility.

According to him, achieving that ambition would require private companies to identify viable investment opportunities, development finance institutions to provide suitable financing, and governments and development partners to help address risks that could otherwise discourage investment.

He said UNHCR had already engaged institutions, including British International Investment and the International Finance Corporation, (BIIIFC) on the proposal, adding that the organisation was seeking a collaborative approach to reduce the risk exposure for individual investors and financiers.

“The only way we can succeed is to bring everyone around the table,” Jain said. (Daily Sun)