By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
THE EUROPEAN Union will provide €557 million in humanitarian aid to Nigeria and other African countries from its 2026 €1.9 billion budget, the EU announced.
Modestus Chukwulaka, press officer to the EU delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said the funding will target Nigeria’s north-west region.
European commissioner for equality, preparedness and crisis management, Hadja Lahbib, also emphasised the EU’s commitment at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
“The humanitarian system is under unprecedented strain, and public funding alone will not meet the scale of the crisis,” she said.
“Europe is taking action, committing an initial €1.9 billion for 2026. As the largest humanitarian donor, we are taking our political responsibility and leading the global response.
That’s why I’m in Davos: to mobilise the private sector to think bigger, move faster, and act together. This is a test of solidarity, and Europe is rising to the challenge,” Lahbib added.
The EU statement also said €14.6 million will be allocated to North Africa to address complex political, economic and social challenges.
More than €415 million has been reserved for sudden-onset emergencies worldwide and maintaining a strategic supply chain.
Lahbib is expected to mobilise private sector finance and innovative solutions at Davos to complement public funding and reach people in need.
