By Atoyebi Nike
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised concerns over a severe funding shortfall and appealed for greater local support to sustain humanitarian efforts in Nigeria’s North East.
Speaking in Maiduguri on Monday to mark the 2025 World Humanitarian Day, Francis Butich, Chief of UNICEF’s Maiduguri Field Office, revealed that the organisation has received only $95 million of the $255 million required for its 2025 operations leaving a $160 million gap, or 67 per cent deficit.
Butich warned that the cut in global funding, including a recent reduction by the US government, is already hampering relief efforts. “The impact is profoundly crushing at the local level, where conflict, climate change, and disease outbreaks are recurrent,” he said.
Despite the shortfall, UNICEF reported reaching 1.3 million people with healthcare, treating 340,000 children for severe malnutrition, providing safe water for 185,000 people, and enrolling 500,000 displaced children in school across the North East.
The UNICEF official urged Nigerians to get involved through donations, volunteering, and advocacy, stressing that “the needs are many, from flood-hit communities to diminished services in IDP camps.” He further appealed to government, donors, and the private sector to scale up funding for local governments and civil society organisations delivering life-saving nutrition, health, and protection services.
UNICEF also encouraged the public to raise awareness about the importance of humanitarian work using social media, blogs, and community events.
