The European Union (EU) has announced that Nigeria, alongside other African countries, will benefit from a €557 million humanitarian aid package under its 2026 budget. The allocation, which excludes an additional €14.6 million earmarked for North Africa, forms part of the European Commission’s initial €1.9 billion humanitarian aid envelope.
The disclosure was made on Wednesday in a statement by the media unit of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS. According to the statement, the funding comes at a critical time when about 239 million people worldwide require humanitarian assistance, even as several major donors are reducing their contributions.
European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, announced the commitment at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where she is engaging the private sector to mobilise innovative financing solutions that can complement public funding and extend support to vulnerable populations..
The EU noted that its humanitarian assistance focuses on life-saving interventions, including emergency food and shelter, essential healthcare services, protection for vulnerable groups, and educational support for children in crisis-affected areas.
Reaffirming the bloc’s stance, the statement said: “As other donors retreat and humanitarian law faces unprecedented strain, the EU has maintained its commitment to principled aid that reaches people in need, wherever they are.”
Under the initial €1.9 billion allocation, €557 million will go to West and Central Africa, the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin, North-West Nigeria, Central and Southern Africa, the Great Lakes region, and the Greater Horn of Africa.
Another €448 million has been allocated to the Middle East, with particular focus on Gaza following last year’s fragile ceasefire, as well as Iraq, Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon. Ukraine will receive €145 million as Russia’s invasion enters its fourth year, while Moldova is allocated an additional €8 million for humanitarian projects.
Furthermore, €126 million is set aside for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran; €95 million for Central and South America and the Caribbean; and €73 million for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, especially to address the Myanmar crisis and its spillover effects in Bangladesh. North Africa will receive €14.6 million to address ongoing political, economic, and social challenges
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In addition, over €415 million has been reserved for rapid response to sudden-onset emergencies worldwide and to sustain a strategic humanitarian supply chain.
Commissioner Lahbib is expected to continue discussions in Davos with business leaders and investors on how private sector innovation, scale, and new financing models can strengthen humanitarian responses. In collaboration with the World Economic Forum, she will also co-host an event titled “New Alliances in Aid and Development” on Thursday, 22 January.