According to the UN, over 700,000 kids in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states are likely to experience life-threatening malnutrition this year.
The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund (NHF) have each provided $20 million for the UN to use in order to address the crisis in North East Nigeria.
The sum is considerably less than the $400 million that the UN has stated is necessary. According to the United Nations, the problem will be even worse than it was last year, with many more children experiencing “severe acute malnutrition.”
“This marks a significant increase from 2022, when there were half as many cases, and four times the number in 2021,” according to the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Matthias Schmale.
“The CERF funding, totaling $9 million, will be complemented by an additional NHF allocation of $11 million, which will go towards coordinating a multi-sector response in support of government efforts,” Schmale said.
$2 million of the funding will be sent to the UN Children’s Fund for the prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition, including the provision of therapeutic ready-to-eat meals.
The March 2023 Cadre Harmonisé Analysis found that the food insecurity peak occurs between June and August, and Schmale cautioned that things could get worse before they get better. It has been estimated that over 500,000 people in the three insurgency-affected states will experience food insecurity at an emergency level, which is close to famine.
The World Food Programme will receive $6 million from the UN as part of its commitment to help 95,000 individuals in Borno State’s three garrison towns who are very food insecure. The monies are an important first step in reducing the crisis, but more assistance is required to make sure that the most vulnerable, especially children, are not forgotten.