The World Food Program (WFP) has received 68 metric tonnes of dates from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to support its humanitarian assistance to the North-East.

The Country Director of WFP, Mr. David Stevenson, while receiving the humanitarian assistance yesterday in Abuja, said the inclusion of dates in their food assistance package would enhance both the quality and cultural relevance of their support, adding that the dates will directly benefit vulnerable communities in the North-East, where food insecurity remains a pressing challenge.

He explained that the 68 MT of dates are planned to reach no less than 34,000 households (approximately 170,000 people), with each household receiving 2 kilograms of dates, adding that the distribution will take place in IDP camps across Borno State, tentatively earmarked for Damasak, Mafa, Dikwa, and Damboa.

He added that the distribution will be aligned with in-kind food assistance cycles in these locations, tentatively scheduled for October, November, or December, saying WFP will conduct beneficiary sensitisation and state-level engagement to ensure the dates are well received and appropriately utilised.

The Country Director disclosed that WFP has reached close to 1.5 million of the most vulnerable populations in Northern Nigeria, helping them address their most urgent food and nutrition needs.

While calling on other donors and partners to join in scaling up support for communities in need, he stressed that the humanitarian community must stay the course on Northern Nigeria and continue reaching vulnerable populations with lifesaving humanitarian assistance.

Saudi Arabia’s Chargé d’Affaires, Mr. Saad Fahad Almarri, while handing over the donation, said it was provided through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center to the World Food Programme as part of humanitarian efforts in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He said the handover represents their shared commitment to provide necessary assistance, relief, and food security all over the world, especially in the North-East of Nigeria.

He disclosed that since its inception, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has executed 3,690 projects in 108 countries at about $8.1 billion, which include food security, health, humanitarian and emergency relief, education, early recovery, charitable assistance, among others.

He assured of the commitment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to providing extensive humanitarian support and assistance to Nigeria, including food baskets, support for internally displaced persons, as well as specialised healthcare programs like combating blindness and its causes and open-heart surgeries, saying it is in tandem with the broader goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to foster a more equitable and inclusive future for all.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Professor Goshwe Yilwatda, stated that the donation was not just a gift of dates but a symbol of compassion, partnership, and shared humanity.

He commended the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s unwavering commitment to supporting communities in need, as well as WFP in ensuring that the donation reaches those who need it most.