The European Union (EU) has earmarked €500,000 (approximately N886 million) in humanitarian aid to address the pressing challenges faced by internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Benue State, Nigeria.
This commitment was announced on Thursday in a statement signed by Mrs. Ugo Sokari-George, the Public Affairs Officer of Politics, Press and Information Section of the EU Embassy in Abuja.
According to the statement, the EU funding, implemented in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), will provide critical support over a six-month period. The aid package will focus on essential sectors including protection, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as multi-purpose financial assistance.
Sokari-George highlighted the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Benue State, noting that escalating armed violence has displaced thousands of people, exacerbating an already critical crisis. "In June 2025, a wave of attacks forced almost 23,000 people to flee, many of whom had already been displaced in the past, triggering a cycle of heightened vulnerability," the statement revealed.
The conditions within the displacement camps are described as dire, with severe shortages of shelter for families and inadequate access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities. Access to livelihoods remains precarious, while protection risks have increased considerably, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women, children, and people with disabilities.
The EU noted that the latest wave of violence is part of a protracted humanitarian crisis that has affected Benue state since 2018, with more than 1.5 million people displaced from their homes during this period. The escalation of violence in 2024 and 2025 alone has claimed approximately 6,900 lives and displaced over 400,000 people, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
The European Union, together with its member states, emphasized its position as the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. "Emergency aid is an expression of European solidarity with people in need around the globe. Its purpose is to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and preserve the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters or man-made crises," the statement added.
Through the European Commission's civil protection and humanitarian aid operations, the EU continues to assist millions of victims of conflict and disasters annually. With its headquarters in Brussels and a worldwide network of local offices, the EU provides assistance to the most vulnerable people based solely on humanitarian needs.
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