The United Nations has approved a $5 million allocation from its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support Nigeria in preparing for severe flooding projected in parts of the country.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, explained that the funding forms part of a wider effort to mitigate natural disasters and follows an earlier $2 million disbursement from the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the resources would allow humanitarian partners to deliver food, cash, and shelter to about 350,000 people in Adamawa State, one of the country’s most flood-prone areas.
Dujarric also disclosed that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) had released $1 million to Burkina Faso from the Regional Humanitarian Fund for West and Central Africa.
The money will support local NGOs in providing food, shelter, water, sanitation, and hygiene services for 35,000 residents in the Centre-Nord and Sahel regions.
He noted that this was the first time funds had been drawn from OCHA’s regional pool for anticipatory action, highlighting the importance of early warning systems and close cooperation between the UN, governments, and humanitarian partners.
