The UK will be providing aid of £47 million through the World Food Program. This is to make available food, nutrition, water, and shelter for vulnerable families in nine countries and regions.
£7 million of the funding will be given to Nigeria. This is to reach 430,000 Nigerians suffering from malnutrition and acute hunger. The support will be provided for 108 days.
The UK is also pressing for international donors to help with more funding and pleading for conflict parties to allow safe, sustained, and unrestricted access to all people in need of assistance.
The UN data has revealed that due to the coronavirus pandemic, the humanitarian crisis has increased. About 235 million people are expected to be in urgent need of assistance in 2021. This shows a rise as it was estimated at 175 million people at the start of 2020.
There has also been a rise in the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance in northeast Nigeria. The number is said to have increased to 8.9 million.
In Northeastern Nigeria, about 3.4 million are living in acute food insecurity and 1.2 million are living in areas that are inaccessible as a result of the insecurity.
A recent report from the UK reveals that there will be an increase to five million people in the next lean season (June–August 2021) if immediate mitigating actions are not taken.
Nick Dyer, UK Special Envoy for Humanitarian Affairs in November last year visited Nigeria. He encouraged the government, the UN, and the international community to increase collective action to curb the deteriorating food insecurity and to address humanitarian access and protection of civilians concerns.
