The United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) has stopped its fixed-wing flights in Nigeria because it ran out of money.
This was announced by Stéphane Dujarric, the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, during a press briefing at the UN Headquarters in New York.
UNHAS, run by the World Food Programme (WFP), had to stop the flights last week due to lack of funds.
Dujarric explained that for the past nine years, the air service has been helping by flying humanitarian workers, medical supplies, and important cargo to and from crisis areas in
Borno and Yobe states.He added that Nigeria has been dealing with conflict for 16 years, making road travel dangerous, so air travel has been very important.
The WFP had earlier warned that it might have to stop giving emergency food and nutrition support to 1.3 million people in northeast Nigeria by the end of July.
Margot van der Velden, WFP’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, spoke to UN reporters in New York and described a very serious humanitarian crisis in Nigeria.
She said WFP needs \$130 million to keep its emergency food and nutrition programs going in Northeast Nigeria for the next six months.
She also said that because of major cuts in funding, WFP has already used up all its food and nutrition supplies.
She warned that in early August, WFP might have to make the painful decision to stop helping people in northeast Nigeria.
She explained that their teams would have to tell people they can no longer receive aid—not because the need is gone, but because there is no money left to help them.
Velden also warned that if life-saving help stops, many vulnerable people may have to make desperate choices.
She said these people could suffer from more hunger, be forced to leave their homes, or even fall into the hands of extremist groups.
Even so, Velden praised the Nigerian government for doing its part to help with the humanitarian crisis.
She said Nigeria’s government is now the biggest financial supporter of the emergency response in the northeast.In 2024, UNHAS fixed-wing flights carried more than 9,000 passengers.
So far this year, 4,500 aid workers have used the service to reach the areas that need help.
The UN Spokesperson said UNHAS cannot continue running unless it receives more money.Dujarric said they need \$5.4 million to keep the UN air service running for the next six months.
He warned that without this money, the humanitarian work in northeast Nigeria may be cut off from the people who desperately need it.
