By AGTHA NWOKOCHA, Abuja
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has cautioned that insecurity, floods, and large-scale displacement continue to endanger the lives of millions in North-East Nigeria as the world marks World Humanitarian Day 2025.
In a statement delivered in Maiduguri the capital of Borno state on Monday, the Chief of UNICEF Maiduguri Field Office, Francis Butichi, warned that severe strain on humanitarian workers who provide critical services to children, women, and families are affected by conflict and climate-driven emergencies.
He also warned that the funding gap is already undermining efforts to provide food, health care, education, and safe water to vulnerable populations.
He said, “As we commemorate World Humanitarian Day, we must remember the bravery of frontline workers who risk their lives daily to serve others,”
He added, “Their sacrifice reminds us of the importance of compassion and solidarity in building a better Nigeria.”
This year’s commemoration, themed “Strengthening Global Solidarity and Empowering Local Communities,” calls for governments, organisations, and individuals to regard communities not simply as aid recipients but as active partners and decision-makers in shaping their future.
Butichi stressed that needs in the region remain overwhelming, yet financial support is rapidly diminishing. UNICEF requires US$255 million to sustain its operations in 2025, but only US$95 million has so far been secured, leaving a shortfall of US$160 million, equivalent to 67 per cent of the requirement.
Despite these constraints, UNICEF reported notable achievements between January and June 2025. More than 1.3 million people were reached with health services, 340,000 children were treated for severe malnutrition, 185,000 people gained access to safe water, and 500,000 displaced children were enrolled in schools.
UNICEF lauded the governments of Borno and Yobe states for their support of nutrition programmes under the Child Nutrition Fund. Butichi noted that Borno State had procured 2,000 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food worth N165 million, while Yobe State had also committed counterpart funding for interventions.
However, UNICEF stressed that humanitarian needs remain critical across the North-East, where years of armed conflict, climate change, and disease outbreaks continue to drive displacement, food insecurity, and malnutrition among children.
UNICEF currently works with 56 local partners across 49 local government areas in the three states of the North-East, focusing on resilience-building and strengthening community capacity.
Butichi appealed to donors, the private sector, governments, and individuals to intensify support, while also urging the media to raise awareness of the hardships faced by displaced families and to highlight the bravery of humanitarian workers.
