The Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) has disclosed that it requires a minimum of N2.5 billion to assist 32 million vulnerable Nigerians facing hunger and malnutrition.
NRCS’s national president, Prince Oluyemisi Adeaga, revealed this during the society’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Abuja, where he reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to innovation, collaboration, and strengthening partnerships.
While acknowledging that the fundraising goal had not been fully met, Adeaga noted that a portion of the funds had been secured, alongside new partnerships with institutions supporting the society’s 2025 campaign.
“As we prepare for 2025, our focus remains on collaboration with partners and leveraging the invaluable contributions of our volunteers, who form the backbone of the organisation,” he said. “We deeply appreciate our volunteers, as well as our donors and supporters who believe in our mission. The Nigerian Red Cross Society is more than an organisation; it is a movement of hope, compassion, and change.”
Addressing the NRCS’s swift response to the Borno flood in September 2024, which submerged over half of Maiduguri, Adeaga said the society promptly launched search and rescue operations, raising N6.7 million within three weeks. The organisation recently returned to distribute relief items worth N100,000 each to 1,850 affected households.
In collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC), the NRCS has projected a budget of 60 million Swiss francs (₣60,000,000), equivalent to N112.7 billion, for its humanitarian programmes in Nigeria. The society appealed to Nigerians and the private sector to support this initiative, stressing the importance of private funding through corporate social responsibility to drive these efforts.
Hopewell Munyari, Operations Manager of IFRC, commended the efforts of the NRCS, which currently has 800,000 active volunteers spread across 37 branches and 774 local councils. “We aim to mobilise more volunteers to reach inaccessible areas where their presence is most needed,” he said.
