Nigeria, Others To Benefit As EU Unveils €1.9bn Humanitarian Aid Budget For 2026
As humanitarian needs soar across Africa amid shrinking global funding, the European Union has placed Nigeria firmly on its priority map with a fresh humanitarian lifeline.
The European Commission has announced an initial €1.9 billion humanitarian aid budget for 2026, with €557 million earmarked for African countries, including Nigeria’s conflict-affected North-West region.
The allocation, which excludes a separate €14.6 million for North Africa, targets some of the world’s most fragile and crisis-hit areas.
The funding will support emergency food and shelter, healthcare, protection for vulnerable groups, and education for children caught in humanitarian emergencies across West and Central Africa, the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin, and other regions.
European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, said the EU’s commitment comes at a critical moment, as an estimated 239 million people worldwide require humanitarian assistance while major donors scale back support.
She is currently in World Economic Forum in Davos, seeking to mobilise private sector funding and innovative financing models to complement public aid.
“The humanitarian system is under unprecedented strain, and public funding alone will not meet the scale of the crisis,” Lahbib said, stressing that Europe is stepping up as the world’s leading humanitarian donor.
Beyond Africa, the EU has also allocated substantial funds to the Middle East, Ukraine, Asia, and Latin America, while reserving over €415 million to respond to sudden global emergencies.
Officials say the intervention underscores Europe’s resolve to deliver principled, life-saving aid wherever it is most needed.
Follow the Savinews Africa channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VawgaEL5vKA9Y5XTFg0n
