EU announces €557m humanitarian aid for Nigeria, other African countries

The European Union on Wednesday announced a grant of €557 million in humanitarian aid to African countries for 2026, with Nigeria’s North-West region in focus. The amount, which excludes a separate €14.6 allocated to North Africa, is part of the initial €1.9 billion humanitarian aid budget announced by the European Commission for the year. The […]

The European Union on Wednesday announced a grant of €557 million in humanitarian aid to African countries for 2026, with Nigeria’s North-West region in focus.

The amount, which excludes a separate €14.6 allocated to North Africa, is part of the initial €1.9 billion humanitarian aid budget announced by the European Commission for the year.

The European Union’s announcement came at a time when 239 million people need assistance, and major donors are cutting funding.

European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, in Davos on Wednesday, sought to mobilise private sector finance and innovative solutions that can complement public funding and reach people in need.

Lahbib said: “The humanitarian system is under unprecedented strain, and public funding alone will not meet the scale of the crisis.

“Europe is taking action, committing an initial €1.9 billion for 2026. As the largest humanitarian donor, we are taking our political responsibility and leading the global response. That’s why I’m in Davos: to mobilise the private sector to think bigger, move faster, and act together. This is a test of solidarity, and Europe is rising to the challenge.”

The EU’s humanitarian aid delivers life-saving assistance where it matters most: emergency food and shelter, critical healthcare, protection for the most vulnerable, and support for children’s education in crisis zones.

The initial €1.9 billion allocation includes €557 million to West and Central Africa, the Sahel, the Lake Chad basin, North-West Nigeria, Central Africa, Southern Africa, the Great Lakes region, and the Greater Horn of Africa.

The total of €448 million is allocated to the Middle East, particularly Gaza, further to last year’s fragile ceasefire, as well as Iraq, Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon.

There is another €145 million to humanitarian needs in Ukraine, as Russia’s invasion enters its fourth year, and an additional €8 million for humanitarian projects in Moldova.

Another €126 million is allocated to address humanitarian needs in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran, and €95 million to Central and South America and the Caribbean, a region facing complex humanitarian crises driven by armed conflicts, widespread violence, political instability, acute inequalities, and environmental challenges.

Also, €73 million will be allocated to support Southeast Asia and the Pacific, in particular for the Myanmar crisis and its impact in Bangladesh; €14.6 million will be allocated to North Africa.

Additionally, more than €415 million is reserved for responding to sudden-onset emergencies worldwide and maintaining a strategic supply chain.