Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, has announced urgent measures by the Federal Government to cushion the impact of the partial suspension of operations by the World Food Programme (WFP) in Nigeria.
He spoke while addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, convened to unveil a sustainable national response strategy to bridge the growing humanitarian gap in the country.
According to him, the partial suspension by the WFP, largely due to severe funding gaps, has triggered concerns over food insecurity, malnutrition, and displacement, especially in the conflict-prone North-East and North-West regions.
Sununu disclosed that while WFP previously reached 1.3 million vulnerable individuals, the number is to drop drastically to 725,000 by next month, leaving a critical gap of 575,000 persons — roughly 115,000 households- without assistance.
He warned that the situation could lead to a surge in hunger, malnutrition, and forced migration if not addressed urgently.
“The ripple effect of the suspension of WFP operations is alarming, and may result in heightened food insecurity and malnutrition, particularly among children and women. Already, 150 nutrition clinics in Borno and other states are shutting down, leaving nearly 300,000 children at risk of wasting,” the minister said.
To address the crisis, Sununu announced that the government is considering a special emergency intervention fund to augment existing humanitarian programmes. The intervention would also include strategic partnerships with international organisations, the organised private sector, and state governments.
He said: “We are already in talks with private sector players, who supported Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their readiness to partner with us again will be critical in closing the humanitarian gap.”
Among the immediate steps being taken is the disbursement of interest-free loans of N300,000 each to 21,000 smallholder farmers nationwide under the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), aimed at strengthening local agricultural production, particularly during the dry season.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Yakubu Adam Kofarmata, stressed that the WFP and other UN agencies have had to reduce their activities due to various challenges.
