The European Union has committed €1 million in emergency humanitarian funding to Nigeria to help address the devastating floods and ongoing cholera epidemic.
The funding will provide urgent support to affected populations, including essential aid such as shelter, clean water, sanitation services, and healthcare, in the hardest-hit regions.
The EU’s aid response comes as Nigeria faces widespread flooding, particularly in the states of Kogi, Delta, and Anambra, which have seen severe damage since October.
The floods, exacerbated by rising water levels from the Niger and Benue Rivers, have impacted over 78,000 people, destroying homes, crops, and livelihoods.
With the threat of further flooding due to saturated soil and continued high river levels, the EU’s €500,000 contribution will bolster relief efforts in the affected states and help replenish emergency supplies for potential future floods.
In addition to the flood crisis, Nigeria is grappling with a cholera epidemic, worsened by the floodwaters that have contaminated water sources and overwhelmed sanitation systems.
Particularly in the northern states of Borno and Yobe, overcrowding in displacement camps and the lack of clean water have led to a rapid spread of the disease.
The EU’s €500,000 allocation will support critical interventions, including the establishment of cholera treatment centers, vaccination campaigns, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) efforts to mitigate the outbreak’s impact.
This funding builds on the EU’s previous allocations, including €1.1 million in September to address flooding across West and Central Africa, and adds to the EU’s total humanitarian funding for Nigeria in 2024, which now stands at €48.7 million.
