The Federal Government and the United Nations have unveiled the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) in Abuja.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, in his keynote address on the occasion, said the plan was drafted through extensive consultation with affected population to address the humanitarian challenges in Nigeria.
He disclosed that it primarily focuses on Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states while acknowledging improving humanitarian needs in the North-west and the North-central.
He said: “The number of displaced persons in Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto states is doubling with the renewed activities of insurgency in the environment.
“To tackle this, we need combined efforts of integrated tripod of humanitarian, development and peace building to be able to get humanitarian efforts translated to durable solutions that will move these people out of poverty, provide livelihood for them and give them sustainable development.”
Yilwatda said the HNRP will prioritise saving lives, building resilience and ensuring adaptive strategies to address evolving challenges with limited resources.
“This Plan is a transition from reactive to proactive approach aimed at mitigating disasters before they occur,” he said, adding, “In the ministry, we are developing durable solutions in some communities to develop 10,000 hectares of land across the country for the IDPs to provide them with durable solutions.
“The HNRP will prioritise women, widows, breastfeeding mothers, pregnant women and PWDs.
“With HNRP, nobody is left behind in IDP camps which is the target of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.”
He said the ministry would partner with INGOs, NGOs and donor agencies to avoid duplication of efforts, aggregate resources and distribute it effectively to make impact in the lives of the vulnerable persons.
According to minister, the ministry is aligning with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President in restructuring Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction to be timely, effective and live saving humanitarian response.
“We will continue to provide interventions at all levels ensuring that they align with the National Humanitarian and Poverty Reduction priorities,” he said.
The minister assured all stakeholders of the ministry’s unwavering commitments in implementing the HNRP.
He appreciated all humanitarian partners/ donors and actors on behalf of President Tinubu and the good people of Nigeria for their labour, sacrifice and efforts over the years to save lives in Nigeria.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malik Fall , observed that the year 2024 witnessed a lot of challenges with spike in the number of people affected by humanitarian crises, children facing malnutrition and the worst floods the country ever experienced.
He appreciated the humanitarian donors for their contributions to humanity in the 2024 HNRP.
He noted that the 2025 HNRP highlights humanitarian needs across the country with focus on the Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.
Mr Fall appealed to the private sector, the Federal Government and all key players to support humanitarian action in those states.
He also urged the UN agencies to work hand in hand with the Nigerian government to alleviate the suffering of the generality of the people.
The Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Hajiya Zubaida Umar Abubakar, stated that the agency is fully committed to compliment the efforts of UNOCHA and all partners through strategic planning, robust monitoring and effective delivery of the HRP.
She said: “Together we will build a future where communities are not only resilient in the face of adversity but also empowered to thrive”.
Other dignitaries at the event included directors of the ministry, the representatives of state governments, CEOs of agencies, commissioners, international partners and donors, INGOs, NGOs, CSOs, and journalists, among others.
