ABUJA — Nigeria is preparing to assume a larger role in managing humanitarian efforts within its own borders, moving away from a framework that has long been driven by international donors and United Nations agencies, officials announced Tuesday.
The announcement came during a joint transition workshop held in the capital city of Abuja, where representatives from the Nigerian government and the United Nations opened discussions on handing over greater authority for planning, coordination, and funding of humanitarian operations to Nigerian national institutions.
Nigeria’s humanitarian minister Bernard Doro described the change not as a retreat of international involvement, but rather a shift toward a government-led coordination model that would still receive technical support from the U.N. and other partner organizations.
U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Mohamed Fall echoed that sentiment, saying the goal is not to reduce aid, but to build a new approach that draws more heavily on government and private-sector resources to power humanitarian response efforts.
The transition comes as donor funding faces mounting strain worldwide. Nigeria is seeking to strengthen its capacity to handle a range of crises, including armed conflict, displacement of people, food insecurity, flooding, climate-related disasters, and public health emergencies.
The United Nations has reported that close to 35 million Nigerians face the threat of hunger this year, a situation worsened by the collapse of global aid budgets.
Minister Doro said his ministry intends to work alongside federal and state governments, aid organizations, and affected communities to coordinate preparedness, response, and recovery efforts across the country.
He added that Nigeria aims to take the lead in developing its own humanitarian plan for 2027, with technical guidance from OCHA and the broader U.N. system.
