U.S releases $32.5m for food aid to displaced Nigerians

The United States government has released $32.5 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to assist internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria.

In a statement issued by the US Embassy on Wednesday, September 3, the WFP said the funding will deliver food and nutrition support to more than 764,000 people across the conflict-affected Northeast and Northwest regions.

The intervention targets communities struggling with severe food insecurity due to conflict, displacement, and rising living costs.

It will also provide complementary nutrition assistance to 41,569 pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls, as well as 43,235 children, through electronic food vouchers aimed at improving dietary diversity and preventing malnutrition.

The US Embassy noted that the contribution comes at a critical time when millions of Nigerians face acute hunger.

It reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to working with humanitarian partners and Nigerian authorities to expand life-saving assistance and build community resilience.

The intervention follows a recent warning from the WFP that it was forced to suspend aid for 1.3 million people in the Northeast due to funding shortages.

In July, food stocks ran out, leading to the closure of over 150 nutrition clinics in Borno and Yobe states and leaving hundreds of thousands of children without vital support.

The prolonged crisis, driven by years of insurgency and violence, has displaced millions and left families heavily reliant on humanitarian aid for survival.