Global Humanitarian Overview 2025

West and Central Africa

People in Need
57.1 million
People Targeted
35.0 million
Requirements (US$)
$7.6 billion

Regional overview

West and Central Africa faces a complex web of interlinked crises, leaving 57.1 million people across the region in need urgent need of lifesaving humanitarian aid and protection.

Across the region, protection remains the most pressing need for vulnerable people, as violence and conflict exacerbate instability and put lives and livelihoods of innocent civilians at risk. These people are attacked by non-state armed groups, caught in the crossfire of warring parties, and victims of intercommunal violence. Children are particularly at risk of forced recruitment by armed groups, and gender-based violence, including rape, is widespread, with severe consequences for survivors’ physical and mental health.

In 2024, an estimated 52.4 million people across West and Central Africa faced food insecurity, and millions struggled to access basic services including health and education due to violence, floods, and other crises. These crises forcibly displaced 17.8 million people in the region, including 14.7 million internally and 3.1 million across international borders. Stripped of their homes, possessions and livelihoods, millions now rely on humanitarian aid for their survival.

Central African Republic

Sibut, Central African Republic

Hélène, an 18-year-old single mother, works on other villagers' plantations to earn enough money to support her child after being abandoned by the child’s father.

OCHA/Renzo Grande

The effects of the climate crisis have exacerbated these vulnerabilities. In 2024, more than 7 million people were affected by major flooding in the region, claiming over 1,500 lives and devastating homes, livelihoods, and access to basic services. The effects of the climate crisis are also felt through drought, increased temperatures, desertification and the degradation of agricultural land.

The region also continues to face the risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera, measles and Mpox. Flooding, which destroys health and sanitation facilities and limits access to clean water, heightens these risks.

The crises across the region are noteworthy not only for their scale, but also for their interlinked and cross-border nature, particularly in the two crisis epicentres in the Sahel – the Central Sahel region and the Lake Chad Basin. Chad has also been significantly affected by the conflict in Sudan, while the spillover of the crisis in the Central Sahel is increasingly affecting the Gulf of Guinea coastal countries (Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Togo) and Mauritania.

Mali

Bamako district, Mali

Mali is experiencing its worst flooding in 50 years, leaving a trail of destruction across homes, crops, and livestock. Thousands of people, already displaced by conflict and violence, now face even greater hardship as they struggle to rebuild their lives amidst deepening vulnerabilities.

OCHA/Amadou Kane

In 2025, eight countries across the region have humanitarian response plans, which aim to target 35 million vulnerable people and will require $7.6 billion to implement.

The humanitarian response across West and Central Africa, involving almost one thousand humanitarian actors, makes a real difference to the lives of vulnerable individuals across the region. Humanitarian actors in the region are championing innovative approaches to ensure that life-saving aid reaches those who need it most and that affected people are involved in the decisions that affect them and shape the response. This has notably been pioneered in Niger through OCHA’s Flagship Initiative, which has helped to shift power to local communities affected by crises. The sector also increasingly seeks to work both with and through local actors, who represent almost 70 per cent of the humanitarian partners active in the region, and bring invaluable local knowledge, relationships and understanding.

Humanitarians have also been at the forefront of efforts to forge closer ties with actors from other fields, to ensure that synergies across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus are fully exploited. This approach aims not only to help communities recover from crises but also to prepare for the future and build resilience. There is a growing focus on preparedness, early warning systems, and anticipatory action to help prepare for and mitigate risks, particularly those related to the effects of the climate crisis.

Nigeria

Borno State, Nigeria

A community volunteer screens children under 5 years for malnutrition. In Borno State, malnutrition is a critical issue, with nearly half of the children under five stunted and a significant number suffering from severe acute malnutrition, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive nutritional interventions.

OCHA/Chima Onwe

Humanitarian access remains a major challenge across parts of the region, which humanitarian actors must navigate with skill and sensitivity, while acceptance of humanitarian aid workers and their mandate is also increasingly contested in certain areas. In some cases, this has even led to attacks against humanitarians—as of 25 November, 27 humanitarians in the region had been killed so far in 2024, with a further 19 wounded and 30 kidnapped.

Most critically, and despite donors’ generous funding, the region’s major funding gap—humanitarian response plans were less than 50 per cent funded as of 18 November 2024—means that millions of vulnerable people across the region have not received the life-saving support they urgently need.

West and Central Africa has not made global headlines in the past year in the way other crises have, but the scale of humanitarian need across the region remains vast—it must not be forgotten.

Aid in Action

Localization in action: Strengthening local and national NGOs in the Central Sahel

Burkina Faso
Kaya, Burkina Faso
At the Bolé site, projects funded by the Regional Humanitarian Fund for West and Central Africa (RHFWCA) provide essential support to people affected by the crisis. The Association Bon Samaritain pour l’Epanouissement de la Jeunesse du Centre-Nord (ABSEJ) conducted 1,600 awareness sessions with displaced women and host communities on various forms of gender-based violence and the available support services. Latrines and a classroom were also constructed to improve living conditions and access to education.
OCHA/Alassane Sarr

Localization is central to the approach taken in the Central Sahel by the Regional Humanitarian Fund for West and Central Africa (RHFWCA). In 2023, the Fund allocated 40 percent of funding to local and national NGOs, including 27 percent as direct funding, and 13 as indirect funding through partnerships with international INGOs.

Beyond funding, the RHFWCA has involved local and national NGOs in the governance structures of its active country envelopes (Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger). For 27 per cent of local and NGO representatives, this marked their first involvement in such decision-making. In addition, local and national NGOs have been involved in identification and prioritization of needs, project reviews, implementation follow-up but also final completion assessments.

The Fund also requested international NGOs to partner with at least one local/national NGO and develop a capacity-building plan as part of RHFWCA-funded projects. This contributed to the long-term capacity of local and national NGOs—71 per cent reported improved financial management, while 67 per cent saw strengthened programme management. International NGOs also benefited with 100 per cent affirming that the involvement of local partners strengthened community involvement and 79 per cent reporting enhanced humanitarian access and acceptance.

To further support local partners, the Fund’s team conducted training for local and national NGOs, covering essential areas of the Fund process such as project submission, narrative and financial reporting, programmatic and financial monitoring, the prevention of fraud and misuse of funds, the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse and humanitarian communications.

Burkina Faso

People in Need
5.9 million
People Targeted
3.7 million
Requirements (US$)
$792.6 million
Total population
23.8 million
Income level
Low income
INFORM Severity Index
5 / Very high
Consecutive appeals
2013 - 2025

Crisis overview

The humanitarian crisis in Burkina Faso continues to heavily impact civilians. More than 2 million people—approximately 10 per cent of the population—are internally displaced, and over one in four Burkinabe require humanitarian assistance. The protracted security crisis marked by armed violence and military operations, along with climate shocks like drought, flooding, and violent winds, has heightened vulnerabilities, especially those in hard-to-reach areas. In these regions, insecurity restricts movements, forcing communities to rely on irregular and costly resupply convoys and air operations. An estimated 1.1 million people live in these hard-to-reach areas, with some enduring these conditions for over two years.

Protection of Civilians (PoC) is more concerning than ever. Rising attacks against civilians led to nearly 2,000 civilian deaths between January and September 2024. In February alone, about 570 people were killed in 44 attacks, marking the highest monthly toll of civilian casualties. Violence against women and girls has also intensified with an average of 20 women kidnapped per month in 2024. Women and girls face high risk of protection incidents while searching for water, food, and firewood, underscoring how the lack of access to life-saving assistance and basic social services exacerbates protection risks for vulnerable people. Between January and June 2024, 146 incidents of improvised explosive devices were recorded, a 44 per cent increase compared with the same period last year. The number of civilian casualties has risen steadily over the last five years, from 50 to 63 percent of the total number of people killed, with 733 civilians killed over these five years. In 2024, 185 (32% women and 35% children) of the 293 victims, or 63 percent, were civilians, while in 2020, 50 percent of those killed were civilians, an increase of 13 percent.


Burkina Faso

Kaya, Burkina Faso

Internally displaced families seek shelter and refuge at the Buudnoma site, as they navigate difficult circumstances.

OCHA/Alassane Sarr

For 2025, the humanitarian community estimates that 5.9 million people will need assistance, down from 6.3 million people the previous year. This reduction does not reflect an improvement in humanitarian conditions, rather a stricter application of the Joint and Inter-Sectoral Analysis framework 2.0 and tighter criteria for determining humanitarian needs. While previous analysis included all 13 regions, the 2025 approach focuses on humanitarian needs stemming from shocks rather than structural development challenges. For people affected by structural development challenges, humanitarian partners will advocate for humanitarian-development-peace collaboration programming.

Throughout 2024, Burkinabe authorities reported returns of displaced populations to their places of origin, while details on their locations and needs remain pending. The humanitarian community will update the needs analysis for returnees once more information becomes available in 2025, to deliver principled, needs-based assistance.

Burkina Faso

Fada, Burkina Faso

Women work together to load essential food supplies from the World Food Programme (WFP), supported by CERF.

WFP/Désiré Ouédraogo

Response priorities in 2025

For 2025, humanitarian partners plan to target 3.7 million people with emergency assistance and protection services—a 4.5 per cent reduction from the target in 2024. Given capacity constraints and limited funding, a boundary-setting exercise was conducted to sharpen response targeting. The Inter-Cluster Coordination Group identified 165 priority communes (out of 351) where the needs are most severe. This approach enables a focused response in areas directly impacted by shocks—such as displacement, food insecurity, and limited access to basic social services such as water, health services and education—thereby targeting the most vulnerable populations among those in need across the country.

This coordinated approach also allows clusters to deliver multi-sectoral responses to affected populations in the same locations. Notably, 55 per cent of the targeted population in Burkina Faso are children, with needs spanning multiple sectors, such as water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in nutrition, safe schools, protection and education. An integrated, people-centered response is essential, especially in the context of an ongoing protection crisis. Each cluster integrates protection risk mitigation into their programing to ensure protection remains central to the response.

Burkina Faso

Kaya, Burkina Faso

Trained in soilless cultivation, this displaced woman proudly tends her vegetable garden, bringing dietary diversity to her family.

OCHA/Alassane Sarr

The Burkinabe Government’s Humanitarian Response Plan for 2025 targets 6 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, aligning closely with the humanitarian partners’ needs analysis and response objectives for 2025. The complementarity between the two plans enhances the impact of humanitarian assistance by the Government and humanitarian partners, leveraging the strengths of each. Those not included in humanitarian partners’ HNRP as a result of boundary-setting, are covered under the Government’ response plan, supported through bilateral assistance, development actors and the private sector.

A strategic approach to humanitarian access is essential in hard-to-reach areas, where insecurity limits overland access and air transport or escorted convoys are often required. Localization remains key as local partners are critical for implementing humanitarian activities in these areas, given the restricted physical presence and access of international actors. Local partners also work closely with local communities, as well as government partners who are indispensable for the effective delivery of aid in these areas. To sustain life-saving assistance, scaling up air operations remains a priority, alongside efforts to advocate for overland access and strengthen civil-military coordination and route risk assessments. Adapting to these challenging contexts will also require a focus on improving the resilience and self-sufficiency among residents.

In 2025, the humanitarian community is strengthening anticipatory actions to mitigate impacts and ensure effective and timely responses. A new anticipatory action framework for floods will be developed ahead of the rainy season in May, building on the existing drought framework, which has been active for the past two years.

Aid in Action

Supporting humanitarians to reach the most isolated communities in need

Aid is loaded into a helicopter
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Food supplies being loaded in Ouagadougou, to be transported via air to reach the most isolated communities.
Logistics Cluster/Mouniratou Kabore.

Humanitarian operations in Burkina Faso heavily depend on air transport to deliver life-saving items to hard-to-reach areas where, due to insecurity, overland access is significantly limited. These areas are largely cut off from the rest of the country with limited market supplies. Helicopter cargo operations are indispensable for delivering aid and sustaining humanitarian workers on the ground. The notion of Stay and Deliver, underscored by the commitment of frontline local staff members, remains crucial in ensuring aid reaches the most isolated communities.

But air operations cost between 12 to 50 times more than overland transport, challenging national organizations’ access to these costly essential services. However, the Airbus Foundation’s in-kind support enabled 52 hours of free air cargo flights in 2024 for national and international partners, transporting essential food, medicines, nutritional supplies, and other cargo for staff working in remote areas in the East region. The support boosted the effectiveness of humanitarian operations.

Financial requirements

For 2025, humanitarian partners are requesting $793 million to support Burkina Faso’s humanitarian response. Strict prioritization was applied to establish a feasible funding requirement, focusing solely on crisis-affected people with acute vulnerabilities. Meeting all identified humanitarian needs would likely require double this amount.

In recent years, the HRP in Burkina Faso has received less than 50 per cent of requested funds, highlighting chronic funding shortfalls. In August 2024, the Humanitarian Country Team endorsed a collective advocacy strategy to boost resource mobilization through 2025. Since the 2024 HNRP is strictly focused on the most vulnerable populations, underfunding this plan will result in a high cost of inaction, jeopardizing lives in areas of critical need.

Funding requirements were calculated using unit-based costing. Clusters such as food security, health, nutrition and WASH, factored in the high costs of air transport for delivering life-saving items to hard-to-reach areas—12 to 50 times more costly than overland transportation—significantly driving up operational costs.

2024 in review: Response highlights and consequences of inaction

Response highlights

From January to September 2024, humanitarian organizations reached about 1.3 million people, representing 34 per cent of the target population. This includes people living in areas with significant access constraints where humanitarian partners rely on air operations to deliver assistance.

Key achievements included:

Food

Food assistance to 1.2 million people

Protection

Protection services to 600,000

Mental health and psychosocial support

Mental health and psychosocial support to 190,000 children

Logistics

Thanks to donor contributions, UNHAS cargo operation transported 520 tons of life-saving supplies to hard-to-reach areas during this period.

Consequences of inaction

Funding constraints significantly limit response capacity. As of 25 November, the Burkina Faso HRP is only 42 per cent funded, leaving approximately 66 per cent of targeted populations without assistance. Even those who received aid often saw less support, limited to certain sectors or reduced in quantity. In some hard-to-reach areas, like Diapaga in the Est region, access challenges and funding shortfalls resulted in only one or two rounds of food distribution during the first 9 months of the year.

In the third quarter of 2024, approximately 7,865 families received no immediate assistance, and access delays stretched response times. In some areas, it can take more than three months to deliver first-line minimum rapid response packages to displaced communities. Many affected populations remain in open spaces without any assistance, at high risk of protection risks.

Humanitarian partners in Burkina Faso face impossible daily choices daily—forced to prioritize limited resources—deciding, for example, whether to provide shelters to those displaced by security shocks or those affected by floods, or whether to use expensive air operations to deliver medicines or nutritional supplies. Affected communities also face impossible choices, sharing already overstretched resources.

Cameroon

People in Need
3.3 million
People Targeted
2.1 million
Requirements (US$)
$355.3 million
Total population
29.4 million
Income level
Low middle income
INFORM Severity Index
4 / High
Consecutive appeals
2014 - 2025

Crisis overview

3.3 million people in Cameroon are in need of humanitarian assistance. Armed conflict and insecurity, climatic shocks, disease outbreaks, and the influx of Central African Republic (CAR) refugees, are affecting populations in the Far North, the North-West, South-West (NWSW), and the eastern regions. Humanitarian needs are compounded by structural development weaknesses and chronic vulnerabilities. There are more than 1 million internally displaced people (IDPs), nearly 700,000 returnees, and almost 440,000 refugees and asylum seekers in the country.

2.5 million people in crisis-affected regions are facing acute food insecurity, a 9 per cent increase compared to 2024. More than 255,000 children are at risk of acute malnutrition. Floods have impacted over 85,000 hectares of farmland, further jeopardizing access to food and livelihood.

Civilians continue to face significant protection risks. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable to gender-based violence (GBV), while men and boys are at high risk of arbitrary arrest, detention, death, and injury. Since January 2024, over 54,000 GBV cases were reported in the far north, north-west and south-west regions. Mental health and psychosocial needs are extensive, made worse by limited access to services. Destruction of property is depriving many people their right to housing.

In the far north, 476,000 IDPs reside, a 5 per cent increase compared to 2024. Over 95 per cent of them fled due to armed conflict and insecurity. In addition to insecurity, floods have affected nearly 460,000 people and deprived almost 150,000 people of access to safe drinking water. The region also hosts 120,287 Nigerian refugees. The Minawao refugee camp is saturated. Critical needs in food security, nutrition, protection, health, shelter/NFI, WASH and education.

Cameroon

East region, Djribrilla, Cameroon

A refugee from CAR now lives in Boubara. Humanitarians struggle to access the hundreds of thousands of refugees from CAR and provide them with basic services.

NRC/Patricia Pouhe

Less than 50 per cent of assessed IDPs have access to safe drinking water. Hundreds of thousands of children face school dropouts and child marriage and risks of family separation, forced recruitment by non-state armed groups, and arbitrary arrest and detention. Women and girls are exposed to significant sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and forced marriage threats.

More than 334,000 people in the NWSW are still displaced due to insecurity. Local populations continue to suffer from the consequences of ongoing armed violence, including targeted attacks, killings, abductions, and inter-communal clashes. There are acute needs in protection, health, education, access to potable water and food. Since the beginning of the year, 43 schools and 14 health centers have been targeted. Sexual violence is on the rise. At least 23 incidents involving humanitarian workers have been reported, including the abduction of 41 staff. Regular lockdowns and roadblocks continued to restrict civilians’ movements and humanitarian access.

The country hosts more than 281,000 refugees from CAR, mainly in the eastern regions of North, Adamawa and East, who have very limited access to basic services and livelihoods.

Overall, humanitarian needs in 2025 are expected to persist in crisis-affected regions. Violence, coupled with recurrent climatic shocks and disease outbreaks, will continue to exacerbate affected peoples' vulnerabilities. The Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) has decided to maintain strategic continuity with the 2024 needs analysis scope and prioritization, focusing on shock-affected regions and population groups affected by the crisis: IDPs, returnees, refugees, host communities, and ‘those left behind’.

Cameroon

Far North region, Cameroon

A woman and her two daughters in the Palia-Pouss IDP site, displaced by flooding.

OCHA/Bibiane Mouangue

Response priorities in 2025

As of 30 September 2024, more than 1.5 million individuals have received humanitarian assistance, including 519,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), 157,000 refugees, and 184,000 returnees. Over 823,000 women and girls were reached with humanitarian assistance and protection services as well as 902,000 children and over 237,000 people with disabilities. The Far North region accounted for 59 per cent of the humanitarian response, the NWSW for 36 per cent and CAR refugees’ response, 5 per cent.

The 2025 response will build on the 2024 strategic prioritization decisions, including its geographical scope, as analysis shows key drivers and aggravating factors are unlikely to significantly change.

However, ongoing displacement and persistent insecurity in certain areas are likely to heighten the vulnerability of affected populations, exacerbating the severity of inter-sectoral needs in some areas. The 2025 response plan targets 2.1 million people in the Far North, NWSW, and eastern regions.

A principled, effective and inclusive humanitarian response will prioritize people in divisions reporting the highest levels of inter-sectoral needs severity, including in hard-to-reach areas. The response will be developed as closely as possible with affected people, listening to their concerns and priorities. Interventions will be adapted to the distinct protection and assistance needs of women, girls, men, boys, older people and people with disabilities.

Cameroon

South-West region, Cameroon

Abraham, a farmer, was forced to stop farming because of the crisis.

NRC/Patricia Pouhe

The response will focus on providing life-saving assistance, enhancing protection, and strengthening local communities' resilience to new shocks. Drawing on climate shocks and risk-informed analysis, including lessons learned and best practices from 2024, the humanitarian community will work on enhancing emergency preparedness and promoting anticipatory action initiatives. This will aim at strengthening the collective capacity to mitigate the humanitarian impacts of climate-related shocks, such as floods and droughts, and to effectively respond to disease outbreaks.

In continuity with 2024 HCT engagements, the response strategy will continue to promote and contribute to finding durable solutions for protracted displacement in collaboration with national and local authorities and development actors.

Through the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan, sectors and humanitarian actors have reaffirmed their collective commitment to effectively mainstream protection, accountability to affected populations, gender, inclusion and disability as well as prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse as key strategic and operational priorities to keep people at the centre throughout all stages of the humanitarian program cycle. Multipurpose cash interventions will be promoted thanks to strengthened inter-agency coordination and capacity building. In the Far North region, partners will build on 2024 accomplishments to enhance effective coordination through the nexus approach and synergies with the regional development plans. The humanitarian community will pursue its localization agenda to strengthen national partners’ role in coordination and response, partnerships and funding opportunities.

Financial requirements

The humanitarian response in Cameroon will require an estimated $355 million to provide rapid, principled, inclusive and accountable life-saving assistance to 2.1 million targeted people, focusing on the most vulnerable groups.

The HRP budget requirements are based on the project-costing methodology. The projects included in the 2025 HRP are developed based on assessed needs and validated by sector coordinators in alignment with the HRP objectives, and their respective sectoral strategies, targets and frameworks.

The 2025 HRP budget represents a decrease of approximately $15 million compared to the 2024 HRP, a reduction of approximately 4 per cent. This decrease is due to several factors, including the reduction of the target caseload as a result of the needs assessment and response prioritization, and the focus on crisis-affected areas in the Far North, North-West, South-West and Eastern regions.

2024 in review: Response highlights and consequences of inaction

Response highlights

In 2024, some 3.4 million people living in Cameroon needed humanitarian assistance and protection. As of 30 September, humanitarian partners have reached more than 1.5 million people in crises-affected areas.

Education

More than 158,000 people were provided with access to formal and non-formal education including girls, boys and adolescents.

Food security

A total of 362,000 people received food, agriculture, and livelihood support, including through cash transfers.

Health

Over 726,000 people received essential healthcare, including in hard-to-reach areas through mobile clinics.

Nutrition

Partners reached more than 218,000 people including children with nutrition services and life-saving treatment for severe and acute malnutrition.

Protection

Partners provided protection services to 85,000 people, including 40,000 people with gender-based violence services, 65,000 people with child protection services, and 37,000 people with legal assistance and counselling on housing, land and property.

Shelter and NFIs

More than 103,000 people received emergency shelter items and NFI assistance.

Water, sanitation and hygiene

Nearly 1 million benefited from sustainable access to safe drinking water, basic sanitation and hygiene services.

Consequences of inaction

Without immediate intervention, Cameroon’s humanitarian crisis will worsen, intensifying the suffering of millions, particularly vulnerable groups such as women, children, persons with disabilities, and the elderly.

Protection

Without immediate action, the protection environment will further deteriorate, increasing protection risks, including grave human rights violations.

Child protection

Without response, children’s protective environment will be threatened, and vulnerabilities will increase, including grave violation of children's rights, leading to death, long-term trauma for children and their communities, and forcing children and caregivers to adopt negative coping mechanisms such as child labour and sexual exploitation.

Health and Nutrition

Limited funding, ongoing violence and the impacts of climate change will further restrict access to healthcare, resulting in increased mortality rates in crisis-affected areas. Without access to water, the spread of preventable diseases such as cholera and measles, along with waterborne illnesses will increase, leading to an increase in malnutrition. Increased malnutrition may lead to more deaths and long-term developmental issues for children. In 2025, 230,000 children under five are suffering from severe and moderate malnutrition.

Food security

People most vulnerable to food insecurity may have to resort to negative coping mechanisms to meet their food needs. With insufficient funds, rations will be reduced, and some beneficiaries will receive no aid at all.

Refugee

The presence of nearly half a million refugees is straining already limited natural resources, igniting intercommunity tensions. Without urgent assistance, almost 550,000 refugees will remain without support.

Gender-based violence

By 2025, more than 1 million individuals will need GBV support. Without immediate assistance, survivors will struggle to access critical medical and psychological care, perpetuating trauma and vulnerability.

Shelter

Without immediate action,1.8 million people will be denied adequate shelter. Insufficient shelter will limit access to food storage and safe cooking spaces, increasing food insecurity. Poor shelter conditions and lack of NFI would increase population vulnerability to illnesses and would compromise the safety and security of people.

Security

In 2024, at least 23 incidents involving humanitarian workers were reported, including the abduction of at least 41 staff, along with regular lockdowns, roadblocks and movements restrictions. Persistent security threats and physical access constraints severely hamper delivery of humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable. Without adequate funding and resources for access, humanitarian partners will lack the capacity to provide timely, quality, and principled response.

Education

Ongoing violence against educational institutions and a lack of funding for alternative learning options could leave generations without formal education. More than 1.3 million children will need urgent support to access education.

Central African Republic

People in Need
2.4 million
People Targeted
1.8 million
Requirements (US$)
$326.1 million
Total population
6.4 million
Income level
Low income
INFORM Severity Index
5 / Very high
Consecutive appeals
2003 - 2025

Crisis overview

For over a decade, CAR has been affected by conflict, with the ongoing presence of armed groups. Violence against civilians and frequent disasters, like flooding, continue to drive new displacements. Limited access to basic socio-economic infrastructure and opportunities forces displaced people and host communities to adopt negative coping mechanisms, increasing their vulnerability to exploitation and gender-based violence (GBV), which disproportionately affects women and girls. Between January and August 2024, 15,000 GBV cases were registered, of which 96 per cent of the victims were female and 22 per cent children. Rape accounted for 34 per cent (5,040) of GBV incidents, including 8 per cent (427 cases) that were related to conflict.

The protracted crisis in CAR brought four new major humanitarian challenges in 2024: 1) shifting security dynamics in the south-east, undermining social cohesion, heightening insecurity and protection risks, and constraining humanitarian access; 2) rising violence and protection needs in the north-east and north-west due to an influx of refugees and returnees fleeing conflict in Sudan (29,621 people) and Chad (12,780 people); 3) flooding impacting over 29,000 people in high-need areas, leading to temporary displacement and spontaneous settlements, especially in urban areas; 4) outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases including hepatitis E, Mpox, and rabies, exacerbated by climate change, in already critical hotspots.

Despite the ongoing humanitarian crisis, security has improved in some areas, reducing shocks and allowing over 221,587 IDPs to be locally integrated or returned to their areas of origin. Based on the shocks analysis (115 shocks affecting 241,447 people from 49,756 households) and their impact on the affected populations, the scope of analysis covered 66 out of 85 sub-prefectures - those that recorded shocks in 2024 and/or where IDPs make up at least 25 per cent of the total population. This led to a 13 per cent reduction in PIN compared to 2024, when the scope of analysis covered the entire country.

Central African Republic

Bria, Central African Republic

Rosalie stands amid the rubble of her former home, where she lived with her family as an internally displaced person. With improved security, humanitarian support helped her rebuild in a new neighborhood she now calls home.

OCHA/Virginie Bero

Response priorities in 2025

For 2025, the humanitarian community in CAR will focus on providing multisectoral and people-centred assistance to respond to the critical humanitarian needs of Central African people affected by recent shocks. This will be done by ensuring that their views and preferences can influence humanitarian programming, piloting more community-led collective feedback mechanisms, as well strengthening the participation of local and national NGOs in coordination structures. The focus will be on the people and communities with most severe levels of food insecurity, those affected by or at risk of GBV, and the IDP, refugee and returnee communities.

The emphasis will shift toward interventions addressing new shocks and emergencies, moving away from compensating for gaps in basic social services. Prioritization will reflect the priorities identified by affected communities during 13 regional workshops. To prevent a decline in living conditions where humanitarians phase out, development actors must immediately scale up investments in socio-economic infrastructures and services, in collaboration with the government and aligned with the National Development Plan.

Central African Republic

Ndjoukou, Central African Republic

Roland learned to plait thanks training he received from a Humanitarian Fund partner, securing a job to support himself. Insecurity limits farming and fishing in the Ndjoukou river.

OCHA/Renzo Grande

Financial requirements

The CAR 2025 HNRP financial requirement stands at US$326.1 million, representing a 11 per cent decrease in the funding requested in 2024. Using activity-based costing, this reduction stems largely from narrowing the scope of analysis to only include areas affected by shocks within the last 12 months. This approach has allowed the 2025 CAR HNRP to focus on the most vulnerable populations groups in areas recently affected by humanitarian shocks and resulted in reducing the number of people targeted for a humanitarian response in 2025.

2024 in review: Response highlights and consequences of inaction

Response highlights

Between January and June 2024, 1.5 million people–787,000 women and 716,000 men—received humanitarian assistance in at least one sector. The operating context over this period faced access challenges and insecurity hotspots, although overall improved security enabled returns in some areas. Key assistance included health care services for 652,000 vulnerable people, protection services to 751,000 people, and cash and in-kind food support to 929,000 food-insecure individuals.

Consequences of inaction

Reduced funding

Reduced funding forced humanitarian organizations to drastically cut operations and critical services in 2024. Though 1.5 million people (77 per cent of people targeted) received assistance in at least one sector, most critical needs remain unmet or only partially met. Given the physical and administrative access challenges, a reduction funding cuts disrupted emergency airfreight, closed storage facilities, and further isolated already vulnerable populations, severely limiting emergency assistance capacity.

Protection

Without a holistic and inclusive protection response, prevention activities, alert mechanisms, and protection incident response and referrals, 1.9 million conflict-affected people remain exposed to risks, including child protection and GBV. Additionally, 366,000 children and adolescents who are either displaced on sites or in host families, returnees, or part of the host communities will be deprived of their right to education. Children's poor access to inclusive and quality education will increase their vulnerability, negatively impacting their future and exposing them to protection risks.

Lack of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and health services

The lack of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and health services threatens the survival and well-being of 500,000 people, raising risks of water-borne diseases, worsening malnutrition, and increasing protection concerns, especially for women and children. Areas like Birao, impacted by Hepatitis E and other epidemics in 2024, are particularly affected.

Aid in Action

Focusing on local actors for delivering effective humanitarian aid

Central African Republic
Sibut, Central African Republic
A patient traveled 35 kilometers to receive care at the Galafondo village hospital, supported by a Humanitarian Fund partner.
OCHA/Renzo Grande

In 2022, the humanitarian community established a Localization Task Force that brings together platforms and forums representing national and local actors, and international organizations committed to localization.

"By participating in strategic guidance structures of the humanitarian response, such as the Humanitarian Country Team and the Advisory Committee of the Humanitarian Fund for CAR, we ensure that accountability to affected people is considered, and that national capacities are integrated as much as possible in the humanitarian response," explains Anita Bissa, Coordinator and Founder of the women's NGO Wali Ti Kodro and member of the Advisory Committee of the Humanitarian Fund (HF) for CAR.

The strategy of the Localization Task Force aims to strengthen the representation, participation, and leadership of national NGOs in humanitarian coordination structures, as well as their involvement in humanitarian response through capacity building and funding support. This has contributed to the CAR HF’s growing proportion of direct funding to national NGOs (from 7 per cent in 2022 to 20 percent in 2023, to 30 per cent in 2024) as well as building the financial and protection capacities of 61 partner NGOs.

By valuing and empowering local actors, the humanitarian community aims to deliver a more effective, sustainable, and accountable response tailored to the needs of Central African populations.

Localization also complements the efforts of the government and specialized actors in development and peacebuilding, enhancing synergies between humanitarian and sustainable development initiatives.

Chad

People in Need
7.8 million
People Targeted
6.5 million
Requirements (US$)
$1.5 billion
Total population
18.8 million
Income level
Low income
INFORM Severity Index
4 / High
Consecutive appeals
2004 - 2025

Crisis overview

Chad is facing a prolonged humanitarian crisis, with nearly 40 per cent of its population in need of humanitarian assistance. Key drivers include climatic hazards, health emergencies and conflicts. Since the armed conflict in neighbouring Sudan erupted in April 2023, eastern Chad has faced an influx of 708,000 Sudanese refugees and 222,000 Chadian returnees as of November 2024, with more arrivals expected as violence persists. In 2025, an estimated 7.8 million people in Chad will need humanitarian assistance, up from 6 million in 2024. This increase reflects flood-related impacts on food security and livelihoods, along with rising risk of epidemics and disease outbreaks that have strained coping capacities.

Southern Chad is also affected by armed violence from intercommunal conflicts and the security situation in neighbouring Central African Republic, with nearly 30,000 internally displaced persons. Growing intercommunal violence in this region may increase the number of people displaced in 2025. In Chad’s Lake region, non-state armed groups (NSAGs) like Boko Haram continue attacks, prompting further displacements. In July 2024, IOM recorded 221,000 internally displaced persons and 41,500 Chadians returnees in this region. Between February and September 2024, 898 protection incidents were reported, representing a significant increase compared to 2023. Boko Haram’s increased activity may worsen displacement and protection issues in 2025.

Chad

Adré, Chad

A member of the host community participates in a gathering, reflecting the resilience and strength of local residents in supporting displaced populations.

OCHA/Catherine Arseneau

Chad is also significantly impacted by climatic hazards, with floods and droughts heightening food and nutritional insecurity. As of August 2024, an estimated 3.4 million people in Chad were in crisis phase of food insecurity (Phase 3+), with 16 per cent in the emergency phase (Phase 4)—an increase of 1,300,000 people from July 2023. By October 2024, floodings had resulted in 600 deaths and impacted nearly two million people across 23 provinces, half of whom lost their homes. Health facilities, schools and livelihoods were severely impacted, leaving an estimated 432,200 hectares of fields and crops destroyed. The eight southern provinces alone accounted for more than 60 per cent of those affected by the floods, severely impacted the agricultural and fishing capacities, likely increasing assistance needs in 2025.

Chad’s already fragile health system faces unprecedented pressure from the growing refugee population and epidemic threats. In 2024, the country battled dengue, Hepatitis E, cholera and measles outbreaks. The risk of these epidemics spreading is particularly high in the eastern, southern and Lake regions, exacerbated by conflicts in neighbouring Sudan, Central African Republic and Nigeria, potentially affecting more people in 2025.

The 2024 humanitarian response plan for Chad, which required US$1.125 billion, was only 49 per cent funded by October 2024. Projections for 2025 suggest further deterioration of Chad’s humanitarian situation, underscoring the urgent need for strengthened interventions for Chad’s most vulnerable. Increased advocacy with development partners to make substantial investments in social and productive sectors, are crucial to address both immediate humanitarian needs and long-term development challenges.

Chad

Bongor, Chad

Residents navigate floodwaters in Bongor, Chad, during a major flood in 2024. Communities are using makeshift boats to travel through submerged areas as they cope with the impacts of severe flooding.

OCHA/Augustin Zusanne

Response priorities in 2025

By the first half of 2024, Chad’s humanitarian response reached 2.2 million people—nearly half of the targeted population—demonstrating improved response capacity over 2023. However, assessments indicate that without humanitarian aid, affected communities resort to harmful survival strategies, and assistance levels remain insufficient with significant gaps across many sectors. Insecurity from intercommunal conflicts in the south hindered humanitarian efforts, while in the east, the response to the crisis, exacerbated by the influx of Sudanese refugees and Chadian returnees, remains critically underfunded. In the Lake province, inadequate assistance forced some communities to move to Niger. Worsening food and nutritional insecurity led the Chadian government to declare a state of emergency and appeal for international assistance to address the escalating crisis.

In 2025, Chad’s humanitarian response will be guided by three strategic priorities set by the Humanitarian Country Team:

  1. strengthening vulnerability-based assistance,
  2. enhancing localization efforts,
  3. implementing joint planning between humanitarian and development actors and interventions based on each actor’s added value (i.e., the humanitarian-development-peace nexus).

Operationally, humanitarian aid will focus on:

  1. providing emergency survival assistance, ensuring cross-cutting protection measures,
  2. improving living conditions by reinforcing community resilience.
Chad

Chad

Flood-affected communities in Chad gather to receive essential assistance, including food and supplies, as they recover from the recent flooding

OCHA/Augustin Zusanne

In 2025, partners plan to target 6.5 million people of the 7.8 million people provisionally estimated to need humanitarian assistance. This represents a 22 per cent increase in the target population from last year, due to the rising number of people needing humanitarian aid following intensified shocks in 2024. Geographical targeting focuses on the four eastern provinces, where 44 per cent of the total targeted population is located, including 708,000 refugees, 222,000 Chadian returnees, and 1.5 million people affected by critical food insecurity, malnutrition, epidemics and floods. Seven southern provinces represent 28 per cent of the target (1.5 million people). The Lac province represents 10 per cent of the target population (539,000 people) affected by violence, food insecurity, malnutrition and epidemics.

The response will continue to prioritize the three strategic objectives set by the Humanitarian Country Team, aligned with national development plans and the 2024-2046 United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. Key focuses include protection, gender equality, localization, accountability to affected people, and preparedness for sudden-onset crises, particularly floods and epidemics.

As the humanitarian situation worsens, and response capacity remains limited, some communities will inevitably be excluded from assistance, increasing vulnerability and unmet needs. To more comprehensively address this gap, a new Emergency Development Response approach will be adopted in November 2024 for the eastern provinces, in close collaboration with the Chadian government. This approach aims to introduce sustainable development initiatives alongside humanitarian efforts to support structural and social changes necessary for a transition to long-term development. Key elements include flexible funding, programmes targeting underlying vulnerabilities, and an expanded focus on community development.

Chad

Lac, Chad

A group of internally displaced women and children in the Lac region, gather together for support amidst ongoing challenges in their community.

OCHA/Catherine Arseneau

Financial requirements

For 2025, the financial requirements for the humanitarian response in Chad total USD$1.478 billion, a 31 per cent increase from the $1.124 billion required in 2024 due to rising needs in key sectors. Notably, food security requirements have nearly doubled (from $145.9 million to $285.8 million), while water, hygiene, and sanitation needs have risen by 40 per cent (from $34.1 million to $47.7 million), The Multisectoral Response for Refugees, the largest portion of the budget, increased by 27 per cent (from $631.6 million to $800 million). Additionally, support for non-refugee populations—including IDPs, returnees, and host and local communities—has risen by 34 per cent. These increases reflect both growing humanitarian needs and stronger response capacities across clusters.

A hybrid methodology combining project-based and activity/unit-based approaches was used, to estimate these financial requirements, allowing for more flexibility and accuracy by accounting for fluctuations in market costs, geographical considerations and population dynamics.

2024 in review: Response highlights and consequences of inaction

Response highlights

In the first half of 2024, humanitarian actors worked diligently to provide food, healthcare, and nutrition services for affected people, including those in remote areas, reaching over 2.2 million people across sectors. Nutrition was a key focus, with 849,537 people receiving vital nutritional programs, largely provided by local NGOs who reached over 80 per cent of people in hard-to-reach areas. Health services reached 610,800 people ensuring continuous access to basic medical care and helping to prevent further spread of diseases. Food security remained a priority, with 568,047 people receiving food aid, reducing malnutrition and supporting families in crisis.

Refugee support was substantial as well, with 760,858 people aided in refugee camps, where coordination and camp management ensured safe and dignified living conditions. These achievements illustrate the strong commitment of international humanitarian actors and local and national NGOs to meet the urgent needs of affected populations.

Consequences of inaction

Underfunding

• Insufficient funding for humanitarian activities will leave millions of people in precarious conditions, compromising their lives and dignity. Inadequate funding of the humanitarian response plan could mean millions go without essential food assistance. For example, in 2023 escalated violence in the Lake region triggered multiple displacements, but the lack of funds prevented an effective response.
• As of August 2024, 3.4 million people were already in a food crisis (IPC Phase 3+), with limited assistance contributing to an increase to 4.6 million people in Phase 4. Without adequate interventions, this figure could rise, further worsening malnutrition and mortality.
• Rising risks of epidemics and outbreaks of waterborne diseases, particularly Hepatitis E and cholera, make funding critical. Without it, establishing potable water and sanitation systems will not be possible, exposing 1.9 million people to preventable diseases.
• The 2024 floods have already destroyed many health and water infrastructures, and without sufficient resources, life-saving efforts in several localities in provinces in the south, Lac and the east, will falter, driving up mortality rates.

Access constraints/impediments, attacks against aid workers/facilities

Access constraints, marked by escalating hostilities between NSAGs and Chadian armed forces, along with administrative obstacles for international NGOs, complicate aid delivery. In September 2024 alone, 898 protection incidents were reported. Without improved access in 2025, vulnerable people, especially women and children, will face heightened risks violence.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

People in Need
21.2 million
People Targeted
11.0 million
Requirements (US$)
$2.5 billion
Total population
118 million
Income level
Low income
INFORM Severity Index
5 / Very high
Consecutive appeals
1999 - 2025

Crisis overview

The security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo is dominated by ongoing armed conflict in the eastern provinces, where the DRC's armed forces confront numerous non-state armed groups (NSAGs). This conflict drives widespread displacement and fuels a protection crisis. While attention often centers on the M23 armed group, numerous other NSAGs—including the Mai-Mai groups, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), and the Cooperative for Development of the Congo (CODECO)—continue to escalate attacks on civilians, employing indiscriminate violence and terrorizing the population. The provinces of Ituri, Nord-Kivu, and Sud-Kivu are the most affected, but specific areas in the neighboring provinces of Maniema and Tanganyika also experience confrontations involving various NSAGs.

From January to August 2024, the conflict—predominantly in the east—has caused the displacement of 2.47 million people, bringing the total number of displaced persons in the country to 6.3 million as of August 2024. This makes the DRC the second country in Africa with the highest number of internally displaced persons (IDP). The IDP camps and collective IDP sites around Goma now host nearly 600,000 displaced individuals —a record high. The confirmed expansion of NSAGs into new areas in 2024 continues to cause suffering, population displacement, exacerbating socio-economic tensions and security issues, including blatant violations of international humanitarian law such as attacks on humanitarian organizations and displacement sites. The conflict has also significantly reduced civilians' access to essential services. In the western part of the country, the inter-communal conflict in the Grand Bandundu region, ongoing for more than two years, has displaced over 220,000 people, most of whom are living with host families.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rachel and her children, including her daughter Sophie—who was brutally attacked and lost both arms—in Tshopo province, a region plagued by ongoing communal violence.

OCHA/Wassy Kambale

The country is also confronted with the effects of climate change, which have aggravated the impact of recurrent floods in many provinces of the DRC. In 2023, floods impacted a record 4.1 million people. From January to September 2024, over 1.1 million people were affected. The country is also exposed to significant epidemics that increase the vulnerability of the population and put additional pressure on the already precarious health system. As of October 2024, suspected cholera cases have reached 27,000, while measles cases stand at 87,000. Both figures represent a significant decrease compared to 2023. However, Mpox cases have surged alarmingly, with 38,000 suspected cases and 1,000 deaths reported between January and October 2024, a substantial increase from the 14,626 cases identified throughout 2023.

While the conflict in the east is the primary driver of multisectoral humanitarian needs, the DRC has the world’s highest number of people facing acute food shortages with 25.5 million severely food insecure according to the latest IPC report from September 2024. More than 1.39 million children between the ages of 6 to 59 months suffer from severe acute malnutrition, and one in every two children under five suffers from chronic malnutrition. These vulnerabilities are largely the result of chronic developmental failures in the country, such as weak agricultural production, inadequate transport infrastructure, market dysfunction, underemployment, and reduced purchasing power. These factors reflect the widespread poverty affecting over 60 per cent of the population, who survive on less than $2.10 per day.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Congo River floods severely impacted Kinshasa neighborhoods, with rising waters linked to climate change. Humanitarian concerns include potential epidemics.

OCHA/Wassy Kambale

In 2024, the humanitarian community in the DRC agreed to focus on conflict, natural hazards, and infectious disease outbreaks as the primary shocks defining the geographical scope of the humanitarian needs analysis. Consequently, only 64 per cent of the country's health zones —those experiencing at least one of these three shocks— were considered in the analysis for assessing the severity of needs and estimating the PiN. This explains the smaller PiN compared to last year, as it reflects humanitarian needs attributable to specific shocks.

Looking ahead to 2025, the security situation in the east is expected to remain highly precarious despite the August 2024 ceasefire established with the main armed group. Insecurity will continue to challenge humanitarian access, particularly in the territories of Nord-Kivu and Ituri provinces. Further displacement and growing humanitarian needs are anticipated in the eastern regions if a sustained ceasefire involving the majority of other NSAGs is not achieved. Additionally, the country is expected to continue facing natural hazards such as flooding, exacerbated by climate change. These events are likely to recur in 2025, affecting vulnerable populations and adding pressure to humanitarian response efforts.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Isangi, Tshopo, Democratic Republic of the Congo

With armed groups controlling key areas, the river route has become the only access to Minova, where over 300,000 displaced people from Masisi have sought refuge. This route is essential for both displaced persons and humanitarian workers, as access from Goma remains highly restricted and insecure.

OCHA/Wassy Kambale

Response priorities in 2025

Despite operational and access challenges, humanitarian partners expect to provide assistance to approximately 7.1 million people by the end of 2024 —an increase of 3 per cent compared to the 6.9 million people reached in 2023. This achievement was made possible, among other factors, by a better-funded humanitarian response plan compared to the previous year, both in relative and absolute terms. As of 25 November 2024, the humanitarian community in the DRC has secured $1.3 billion, or 50 per cent of the funding requested in the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan.

In 2025, the efforts of the humanitarian community will primarily focus on saving lives and alleviating the suffering of people affected by recurrent shocks linked to conflicts, natural hazards, and epidemics. This will be achieved through safe, equitable, and inclusive multisectoral life-saving interventions guided by humanitarian principles, which account for at least 60 per cent of the response plan budget. Additionally, humanitarian actors focus on improving safe, equitable, and dignified access to quality basic services for those affected by recurrent shocks, in line with fundamental rights and standards, to safeguard their well-being and prevent further erosion of their coping capacities.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo

A pregnant woman, displaced by conflict, receives support from a humanitarian worker to carry her packages during a Red Cross food distribution.

OCHA/Francis Mweze

Health zones with an intersectoral severity score of 3 and above will be prioritized for the response, based on a needs analysis conducted using the Joint Intersectoral Analysis Framework (JIAF) 2 methodology, which was adopted in the DRC,. This includes all the health zones of Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, and Tanganyika provinces in the east of the country, which will constitute the focus of the response in the DRC, as in previous years. Furthermore, certain zones in other provinces—such as those comprising the Grand Bandundu region in the west—and other areas affected by climatic or health shocks where the combination of needs yields intersectoral severity levels at or above the established threshold will also be targeted by specific clusters.

Multisectoral responses will focus on IDPs, along with recent returnees and host communities. Those not displaced by conflict will also be targeted, and assistance will be provided when humanitarian access—currently the main operational constraint in some eastern areas— becomes possible.

Efforts will be intensified to secure humanitarian access, especially in areas fully controlled by NSAGs, ensuring that assistance is provided in accordance with the humanitarian principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence. Particular attention will be given to the progressive disengagement of MONUSCO from Ituri and North Kivu provinces and its consequences for humanitarian operations, including lessons learned from its disengagement from South Kivu in 2024.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Kwamouth, Mai-Ndombe, Democratic Republic of the Congo:

Fazili, an agronomist with NGO ABCOM, trains people in sustainable vegetable production techniques, supporting food security and resilience.

OCHA/Francis Mweze

Recognizing the different nature of crises in targeted areas—such as the differences between the east of the country versus the Grand Bandundu region—efforts will focus on implementing tailored solutions and humanitarian programming to better address people's vulnerabilities and their underlying causes. In 2025, humanitarian actors will pre-position resources to respond to potential needs from natural hazards like floods, and will explore anticipatory actions for timely response. Coordination with development actors will also aim to strengthen prevention efforts and foster long-term solutions.

In 2025, humanitarians will expand the use of multi-purpose cash transfers (MPC) across operations, aligning with the vulnerable populations’ preferences and meeting basic needs. Like sectoral cash transfers, MPC implementation will be guided by the feasibility of context-specific cash-based responses. Rapid response mechanisms will also be strengthened and unified to improve responsiveness to sudden displacements caused by conflict and natural disasters.

Collaboration with peace and development actors will be prioritized in all conducive areas—especially zones of return or areas of intercommunal conflict—to ensure complementarity. Given the serious issue of sexual exploitation and abuse in the DRC, including within humanitarian action, the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) will focus on preventing, identifying, mitigating, and responding to this issue diligently. Enhanced accountability and community engagement will also be promoted to ensure a response that better aligns with people's needs and expectations.

Financial requirements

In 2025, the humanitarian community in the DRC will require $2.54 billion to assist 11 million people. Although financial requirements are nearly unchanged from 2024, the number of people targeted has grown significantly, reflecting a more focused 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan that prioritizes needs arising directly from shocks—such as conflicts, natural hazards, and epidemics—while emphasizing the root causes of the crisis for advocacy.

With the adoption of Joint Intersectoral Analysis Framework 2.0, the severity of needs analysis is more interoperable, allowing for better prioritization of interventions.

Despite the DRC’s response cost being among the highest globally, humanitarian actors have worked to optimize the 2025 budget, allowing for a higher number of people targeted while keeping costs below the 2024 level. This demonstrates a commitment to maximizing resources and ensuring assistance reaches those most in need.

2024 in review: Response highlights and consequences of inaction

Response highlights

Water, sanitation and hygiene

By the end of August 2024, at least 2.7 million people in hard-to-reach areas affected by humanitarian crises benefited from water, hygiene, and sanitation services.

Nutrition

A total of 1 million acutely malnourished children (aged 6–59 months) and 400,000 pregnant and lactating women are expected to be reached by the end of 2024.

Shelter and NFIs

From January to September 2024, 528,000 people received shelter assistance, and 1,032,000 received essential household items. Among them, 145,000 women and adolescent girls of reproductive age benefited from additional menstrual hygiene kits.

Education

Education sector partners assisted 440,000 children, 50.5 per cent of whom were girls, and 10,000 teachers in areas affected by emergencies, achieving 69 per cent of the sector's target.

Child protection

Over 5,800 children released from armed groups received support from service providers, and 780,000 children received mental health and psychosocial support services.

Health

Between January and August 2024, health cluster partners assisted 3,180,000 people affected by crises—around 40 per cent of the target for the year. This includes 2,750,000 people who had free access to primary health care, 155,000 to secondary health care, and 171,000 to sexual and reproductive health services (births assisted by qualified personnel).

Protection

By August 2024, 3.33 million people received protection services across all protection Areas of Responsibility (AoRs), which is 55 per cent of the target.

Gender-based violence

In the first half of 2024, 61,300 survivors of GBV (89 per cent women and girls) received comprehensive care services tailored to their needs. Local organizations, accounting for 85 per cent of GBV AoR members, received capacity-building support, improving accountability to affected communities and contributing to sustainability.

Consequences of inaction

  • Underfunding:

Nutrition

By year’s end, limited funding will prevent over 220,000 children under five with severe acute malnutrition from receiving essential nutritional treatment

Camp coordination and camp management

Although the camp coordination and camp management cluster achieved substantial coverage in sites, critical humanitarian sectors—notably health, food security, shelter, and WASH—remain largely underserved, due insufficient resources for site closures and durable solutions.

Protection

A 70 per cent funding gap in the protection sector left 1.48 million people without access to protection activities across all AoRs.

Health

Around 3 million crisis-affected individuals lack access to integrated emergency health care. Emergency sexual and reproductive health services reached less than 30 per cent of women of childbearing age and adolescents.

  • Access constraints:

Humanitarian access

Humanitarian access has been restricted in some areas during active fighting but typically recover once hostilities subside. However, attacks on humanitarian convoys and intimidation of humanitarian personnel continue to hamper access, jeopardizing aid delivery and access to basic services. Additionally, due to the risk posed by weapons in IDP sites, humanitarian actors have reduced their presence and time spent there, which has negatively impacted the delivery of protection services.

Physical access

Overall, 1.9 million people, including 1.72 million IDPs, could not be assisted due to lack of physical access including inaccessible roads and bridges destroyed by rain.

Mali

People in Need
5.9 million
People Targeted
4.6 million
Requirements (US$)
$756.8 million
Total population
24.0 million
Income level
Low income
INFORM Severity Index
5 / Very high
Consecutive appeals
2012 - 2025

Crisis overview

Mali continues to grapple with a multifaceted humanitarian crisis mainly driven by persistent conflict-related violence and climate shocks. In 2024, the crisis was exacerbated by unprecedented extreme heat and floods. With over one-third of the population in need of humanitarian assistance, declining funding has forced humanitarian partners to reduce the amount of aid, prioritizing continued support to the most vulnerable, particularly those in remote areas. As of 25 November 2024, the HNRP 2024, which targets 4.1 million people for humanitarian assistance, was 35 per cent funded.

In 2024, as Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) and their partners intensified operations against armed actors, these actors staged an increased number of blockades on villages, retaliatory and deliberate attacks against FAMa and civilians, and imposed heavy road taxes and restrictions on commercial transport. At the same time, security and defense forces from neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso also increased their operations against these armed groups. As a result, the operational environment for humanitarians has become increasingly complex, with organizations and civilians notably exposed to risks of being caught in crossfire, falling victim to improvised explosive devices, car jackings, abductions, and temporary detention. The insecure context has led to significant internal and cross-border displacements and has restricted access to basic services for the most vulnerable populations.

Mali

Socoura displacement site, Mopti Region, Mali

After fleeing violence, Aminata and her family have found refuge at the Socoura displacement site. With the support of humanitarian partners, she can now cook for her grandchildren using the resources provided, bringing a sense of normalcy to their challenging new life.

OCHA/Amadou Kane

As of 30 September, some 378,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were recorded and nearly 123,000 refugees were settled in central Mali–an 84 per cent increase compared to December 2023. Women and children account for over 50 per cent of the displaced people in Mali and face chronic nutrition, protection, shelter and education needs. In March 2024, the results of the “Cadre harmonisé” recorded 1.3 million people (6 per cent of the population) facing hunger, especially in Gao and Menaka regions. Mali was the only country in West Africa with populations at catastrophic hunger levels, with 2,575 people in IPC 5 in the Menaka region. As of 30 October, 5.1 million people were considered in need of nutrition assistance, with 2.8 million in the emergency phase. The 5.1 million figure marked a 6 per cent increase from last year. Nutrition projections indicate further deterioration in 2025 with more areas expected to shift into the ''alert'' and ''critical'' categories.

The protection environment has also deteriorated with over 22,000 human rights violations documented from January to July 2024, including conflict-related sexual violence, violations of children’s rights and violations to the right to life, physical and/or mental integrity. Nearly 1.8 million children, between the ages of 6 and 17, are currently deprived of their right to education. School disruptions caused by conflict, climate change and displacement expose children to increased risks of abuse, violence and exploitation while also hindering their development.

This year, climate change became a key driver of vulnerability in Mali. Between July 2024 and the end of October, unprecedented flooding hit all regions of the country, resulting in 92 deaths, 154 people injured and nearly 380,000 affected. The floods also destroyed close to 43,400 houses and buildings, hundreds of water points and some 86,000 acres of crops, raising serious concerns over increases in shelter, WASH, health, food and nutritional needs across the country in 2025.

Humanitarian needs across sectors are expected to grow in 2025 while the operational environment for humanitarian partners in Mali will remain complex. Despite this, humanitarian agencies remain able to deliver assistance in most areas, relying heavily on community engagement and coordination to support ongoing access.

Mali

Gao Region, Mali

Young children under five at the Sossokoira displacement site face severe risks of malnutrition, their vulnerability intensified by ongoing violence and displacement. Humanitarian aid is crucial to protect these children and provide essential support to affected families.

OCHA/Ramatoulaye Moussa Mazou

Response priorities in 2025

While over a third of Malians require some form of humanitarian assistance and protection, the HNRP 2024 targeted 4.1 million people (including 23 per cent women and 54 per cent children) for emergency multisectoral assistance to ensure their survival and alleviate their suffering.

In 2025, the humanitarian response in Mali will focus on the most vulnerable populations heavily impacted by core humanitarian concerns, including displacements, conflict-related violence, food insecurity, malnutrition, epidemics and climate shocks, including the unprecedented floods recorded during the second semester of 2024. Humanitarian partners will focus on areas where these challenges intersect most severely while maintaining advocacy for development actors to intensify their support in areas where populations face structural challenges. The number of people in need is therefore expected to reach 5.9 million, a decrease of 21 per cent compared to 2024.

Aid in Action

Harvesting hope

Mali
Socoura, Mopti Region, Mali
Aly tends his garden in Socoura, cultivating essential food supplies not only for his family but also to support displaced neighbors, embodying resilience and community solidarity.
OCHA/Amadou Kane

As of 30 September, 378,000 people were internally displaced in Mali, 86 per cent of whom were women and children fleeing conflict and violence. At a time when few welcome strangers, 65-year-old Aly Guindo opened his home to displaced families in Socoura, Mali's Bandiagara region. His support went further, sharing his land to help them earn a living and rekindle hope for the future.

"We traveled 50 km to find shelter in Socoura," recalled Binta Togo, a displaced woman hosted by Guindo. “We had nothing when we arrived. He welcomed us into his home and our source of income became the sale of produce from the garden.”

Guindo hosted eight displaced families through the Jigi Tugu (Building Hope) project, which provided hosts like him and vulnerable people the tools and training to engage in sustainable agriculture. Funded by OCHA's Regional Humanitarian Fund for West and Central Africa and implemented by the NGOs CARE Mali and YA-G-TU, the project empowered displaced people with income-generating activities.

A farmer by trade, Guindo was trained in gardening techniques adapted to Mali's varying climate. He also received seeds, tools and organic fertilizer through the project. The project changed families’ lives for the better, allowing them to live with dignity through this community-based initiative.

Financial requirements

An estimated $756.8 million is required to meet life-saving needs and deteriorating living conditions of 4.6 million people. This represents an 8 per cent increase in funding requirements compared to 2024.

As in 2024, the Humanitarian Country Team in Mali used a streamlined methodology, merging the HNO and HRP while applying the Joint and Cross-Sectoral Analysis Framework for an improved analysis of intersectoral humanitarian needs against major shocks including conflict, floods, and epidemics. Considering capacity constraints and the declining global funding landscape, the number of people targeted and estimated costs remain strictly focused on humanitarian caseloads. The main innovation for 2025 is the use of a hybrid costing methodology based on both activities and projects to improve transparency and governance. The HNRP 2025 will be driven by two strategic objectives:

  1. Save lives and alleviate suffering for people affected by recurrent shocks through safe, equitable, inclusive multisectoral assistance based on humanitarian principles.
  2. Improve inclusive, timely and appropriate access to quality basic services for people affected by recurrent shocks in line with fundamental rights and standards.

2024 in review: Response highlights and consequences of inaction

Response highlights

Between January and June 2024, despite chronic underfunding and increased logistical constraints, humanitarian partners in Mali provided assistance to nearly 750,000 people, nearly 20 per cent of 4.1 million people targeted as part of the HNRP 2024. This overall figure includes:

Protection

200,700 people who received holistic protection services

Education

147,200 who received educational support

Food security and nutrition

Food security and nutrition partners provided lifesaving assistance to nearly 742,000 people countrywide during this period.

During the first half of the year:

Protection

200,700 people from host and displaced communities benefited from essential protection services

Education

323,000 children accessed quality education in adequate environments

Water, sanitation and hygiene

Water, sanitation and hygiene partners reached 212,500 people

Health

153,800 people received health assistance

Shelter and NFIs

62,000 people received shelters and non-food items

Refugee response

The refugee response reached 43,100 people

By the end of 2024, humanitarian partners project they will have assisted 1.5 million people nationwide.

Consequences of inaction

Underfunding

Food security

As of late October, only 25 per cent of the funding needed for food assistance has been received, leaving 1.3 million people in acute hunger, including 700,000 in food crisis and 2.9 million in food stress. Children under five and pregnant women suffer from acute malnutrition, particularly in IDP sites in the Mopti, Gao and Ménaka regions, where prevalence rates exceed 15 per cent.

Nutrition

In 2024, 1.4 million children under the age of five suffered from acute malnutrition, including 300,000 in severe stages, while over 88,000 pregnant women were also acutely malnourished. Lack of funding has forced humanitarian actors to scale back their operations, resulting in deteriorating conditions for vulnerable groups, particularly in remote areas.

Shelter

Between January and October 2024, insufficient resources meant only 10 per cent of emergency shelter needs for displaced people were covered. As a result, 2.37 million people remained without adequate shelter, exposing them to new risks, particularly during the recent floods in Ménaka, Gao and Timbuktu.

Education

The education sector received only 5 per cent of the funds required as of late October, leaving 1.8 million children out of school. The lack of resources has kept over 90 per cent of schools non-functional, affecting 540,000 pupils and 11,000 teachers, particularly in the Kidal and Ménaka regions.

Health

With only 30 per cent of required funding, health services remain extremely limited. Refugees and IDPs face increased risks of measles, dengue fever and other diseases with epidemic potential, increasing health vulnerabilities in affected regions.

Aid in Action

Leading on women's empowerment

Mali
Otogena, Bandiagara Region, Mali
Mariam, leader of the Kana Women’s Association, empowers both displaced and host community women by providing gardening kits, seeds, organic fertilizer, and training. Together, these women cultivate crops and produce peanut oil, creating sustainable income and promoting self-reliance.
OCHA/Amadou Kane

Forced to flee due to insecurity four years ago, Mariam Guindo founded the Kana Women’s Association, bringing together 60 members, including 15 internally displaced women. Thanks to income-generating activities, the group became self-sufficient. With support from the Regional Humanitarian Fund for West and Central Africa, Mariam empowered women in her community by providing gardening kits, seeds, organic fertilizer tools, and training. Under her leadership, the women expanded their activities to include peanut oil production from groundnuts, helping contribute to their household’s expenses. Beyond the economic impact, Mariam led awareness sessions, identified cases of GBV for follow-up, and helped survivors reintegrate. "Awareness and education are key elements for social change and the promotion of women's rights. This kind of initiative promotes the development of entire communities beyond subsistence," she said.

Niger

People in Need
2.7 million
People Targeted
1.7 million
Requirements (US$)
$386.5 million
Total population
28.2 million
Income level
Low income
INFORM Severity Index
4 / High
Consecutive appeals
2011 - 2025

Crisis overview

Niger faces a multidimensional crisis stemming from extreme climate events, growing insecurity, rapid population growth, and chronic poverty. With low resilience to shocks, the county remains highly vulnerable. By 30 September 2024, Niger registered 507,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), marking a 12 per cent increase from the previous year. The Tillabéri and Diffa regions are hardest hit, hosting nearly 78 per cent of all IDPs, while the previously unaffected Dosso region has recently registered around 5,000 IDPs new displacements as of 30 September.

In addition to the deteriorating security situation, severe flooding has further intensified the crisis, impacting over 1.4 million people nationwide. The regions of Maradi (314,000 people), Zinder (264,000 people) and Tillaberi (248,000 people), make up 51 per cent of those impacted. These floods have exacerbated the already challenging humanitarian situation, causing widespread displacement, damaging infrastructure, and worsening food security.

Niger

Diffa Region, Niger

Hassan, 66, a community leader in Yambal, supports refugees and supports local development through Niger’s Flagship Initiative. His community urgently needs secure land for vulnerable families, socio-economic support, protection awareness, and accountability through community feedback.

OCHA/Temur Sharopov

The education sector has also been hit hard by shocks. Although in 2024 the number of school closures decreased from 2023, 779 schools remain closed due to insecurity, affecting about 66,650 students, including 34,500 girls. Recent flooding damaged 5,520 classrooms while 1,969 classrooms are now occupied by displaced families. Consequently, Niger postponed the start of the school year by one month, impacting the education of an estimated 330,000 children on top of those already affected by insecurity.

Beyond education, health and food security are also under severe strain. Over 436,000 children under the age of 5 are suffering from severe acute malnutrition. According to the November 2023 ‘Cadre Harmonisé’, 3.2 million people are severely food insecure (IPC 3 crisis phase and above). Flooding has exacerbated this situation, destroying an estimated 23,000 hectares of crops and jeopardizing food security.

Niger also reported 1,002 Cholera cases with 21 deaths across 13 of its 72 health districts. These compounding crises have significantly reduced the purchasing power of vulnerable communities, who consistently identify food assistance as their primary need during community consultations.

Niger

Diffa Region, Niger

Young children in N’Guigmi, Diffa benefit from Niger’s Flagship Initiative. As part of the Flagship Initiative, community consultations were held to better understand and address the needs of local communities affected by displacement and insecurity. These consultations are a crucial step toward strengthening community resilience and ensuring that humanitarian aid is aligned with local priorities.

OCHA/Temur Sharopov

Response priorities in 2025

For 2025, a boundary-setting process was undertaken to focus on the most vulnerable people in departments affected by humanitarian shocks. This approach identified 2.7 million people in need across 31 of the country’s 65 departments. As part of scaling up the flagship initiative, the Niger Humanitarian Country Team has adopted a hybrid planning approach that consists of developing its response plan based on needs expressed by the most affected communities through direct local consultations.

The estimated number of people in need (PiN) for 2025 shows a significant 41.2 per cent decrease compared to the previous year. This reduction is primarily due to a refined scope of analysis, which now includes five humanitarian regions (Diffa, Tahoua, Maradi, Tillaberi and Dosso) concerning the 31 most affected departments. In line with the Joint Inter-Sectoral Analysis Framework 2.0 methodology, refugees have been excluded from IASC cluster PiN estimates to prevent duplication and are now counted solely within the refugee response plan figures. Additionally, returnees who were previously classified as internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been also reclassified as part of host communities based on official statistics. These methodological changes have contributed to the overall reduction in the PiN estimate which now targets 1.68 million people for humanitarian assistance in 2025.

Niger

Kargawar village, Ngourti, Diffa Region, Niger

Women collect water from the "Well of Peace," established through the RECOSOC project to provide safe drinking water. This well has become a lifeline for the community, improving daily access to water and strengthening local resilience in the midst of challenging conditions.

Oxfam/Halimatou Saadiya Tankari

Financial requirements

For 2025, Niger’s humanitarian response plan has been carefully calibrated to address the needs of the most vulnerable. The total financial requirements to cover the target population are estimated at $386.5 million, representing a significant 41.6 per cent decrease compared to the previous year. This reduction is primarily due to a 41 per cent decrease in the target population, reflecting a more focused approach in the HNRP, which now covers only five humanitarian regions. Financial requirements were estimated using a unit-based approach, deriving a unit cost per person by averaging the financial requirements per person targeted over the past four years in Niger. This average cost is then applied to the current target population to determine the total financial needs. This methodology ensures a more precise estimate of financial requirements, closely aligned with the expressed needs of the most affected people.

2024 in review: Response highlights and consequences of inaction

Response highlights

As of 30 September 2024, humanitarian partners in Niger have reached 3 million people across at least one sector, representing 79 per cent of the 2024 HNRP target. This achievement is notable, especially considering that only 45% of the required funding has been reported. This discrepancy between the high number of people assisted and the relatively low funding level could be attributed to two main factors. First, the clusters may have included non-HNRP projects in their reported estimates, potentially inflating the number of people reached. Secondly, there might be underreporting of funded projects in the UN Financial Tracking System, leading to an inaccurate representation of the actual funding received. These factors highlight the need for more accurate reporting and tracking mechanisms to ensure a clear understanding of the humanitarian response’s reach and funding status.

Consequences of inaction

In the aftermath of the July 2023 coup d'état, Niger’s new authorities implemented measures that restrict the movement of humanitarian actors within the country. These administrative constraints have delayed or prevented the delivery of essential services, exacerbating the suffering and vulnerability of affected communities. Additionally, these restrictions have driven up the cost of humanitarian operations, as humanitarian organizations are forced to adopt adaptive measures such as using fixed instead of mobile teams capable of serving multiple sites.

To ensure the safety of humanitarian workers, the government has imposed armed escorts in all areas of military operations. This requirement affects the entire Tillabéri region and parts of Tahoua, Diffa and Maradi, and more recently, the entire Dosso region. In certain regions, Governors now require the presence of a representative of the prefecture during field missions carried out by humanitarian organizations. The costs associated with their presence, along with those of armed escorts, are drawn from the limited funding available. This significantly impacts the funds available for direct assistance to people in need of lifesaving assistance, but also contravenes humanitarian principles. The situation is further complicated by the verbal transmission of government decisions and impositions. creating confusion among humanitarian workers.

These constraints have severely impacted humanitarian reach to people in need and hindered vulnerable communities’ ability to obtain basic essential services for their survival. Consequently, from 1 January to 31 July 2024, at least 1,112,546 people in need did not receive or faced delays in receiving critical life-saving humanitarian assistance, including more than 600,000 in the food security sector. Moreover, over 80,000 malnourished children have been left without necessary care.

Nigeria

People in Need
7.8 million
People Targeted
3.6 million
Requirements (US$)
$900.0 million
Total population
229.2 million
Income level
Low middle income
INFORM Severity Index
5 / Very high
Consecutive appeals
2014 - 2025

Crisis overview

Nigeria faces extensive humanitarian challenges, with an estimated 33 million people experiencing food insecurity. Additionally, 1.8 million children in six northeastern and northwestern states are at risk of severe acute malnutrition– among the highest global levels according to the IPC. Weak rule of law institutions and ongoing conflict involving Boko Haram have led to an acute protection crisis, displacing millions, destroying critical infrastructure, disrupting livelihoods and restricting humanitarian assistance.

Climate change, rapid population growth—projected to reach 400 million by 2050 according to the World Bank—mismanaged dams and poor urban planning have made Nigeria one of Africa's most flood-prone countries. Recent floods affected 34 out of 36 states, with Borno being the most severely impacted. Flooding claimed 320 lives, affected 1.4 million people, displaced 730,000 individuals, destroyed 120,000 houses. About 260,000 hectares of farmland were destroyed resulting in harvest loss equivalent to food for 13 million people. These floods also disrupted agricultural production, worsened food insecurity, and caused waterborne disease, including cholera.

Nigeria’s humanitarian situation is further impacted by a severe economic crisis marked by soaring inflation and currency devaluation. Inflation is projected to peak at 35 per cent in 2025, with a 30 per cent surge in prices reported in September 2024 alone. Many families cannot afford basic food items due to rising costs, compounded by floods and agricultural output. The naira's cumulative 70 per cent devaluation against the US dollar between 2023-2024 has also driven up the cost of food imports food and agricultural inputs. Persistently high inflation and a weakened currency will likely maintain elevated food prices throughout 2025, intensifying vulnerabilities among millions.

Nigeria

Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

Aisha and her mother Yagana stand in their damaged home, which they lost during the floods that also swept away their food supplies and personal effects.

OCHA/Chima Onwe

A severe nationwide cholera outbreak is intensifying humanitarian needs, especially in the northern states of Borno, Adamawa, Jigawa, Yobe, and Kano. By mid-October, over 14,000 suspected cases and 378 deaths were reported. Recent floods and inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure have exacerbated the rapid spread of disease. The combination of natural disasters and public health emergencies strains already limited healthcare resources, escalating the urgency for humanitarian assistance.

Violence continues in the BAY states (Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe) after 15 years of conflict. The nature of conflict has evolved in recent years, shifting from large-scale attacks on military or government facilities to predatory attacks targeting civilians. Whilst military casualties have decreased, civilian casualties have been steadily increasing, with over 4,000 civilians killed in the BAY states last year. Displacement and disrupted livelihoods require sustained support, as ongoing instability continues to hinder access to basic services.

The 2025 People in Need (PiN) estimate reflects contextual changes, with slight decrease from from 7.9 million people in 2024 to 7.8 million in 2025. However, the nutrition sector has seen a 27 per cent increase in PiN, driven by food insecurity, and inadequate access to health, water and sanitation. Economic hardships have contributed to worsening food security, with one in four children under five experiencing acute malnutrition in some areas. Shelter needs has also increased by 11 per cent, likely due to displacement from floods and conflict. Meanwhile, PiN for education and health decreased by 13 per cent and 8 per cent, respectively, possibly due to improvements or shifts in the focus of interventions. These changes underscore the evolving humanitarian landscape in the BAY states and the need for adaptive strategies to address emerging challenges in 2025 and beyond.

Severity analysis reveals that most local government areas (LGAs) in the BAY states are at severity level 3, indicating severe conditions. A total of 17 LGAs in Yobe, 15 in Adamawa, and 13 in Borno are determined to be at severity level 3. Nine LGAs are at severity level 4, requiring immediate life-saving interventions—8 in Borno and 1 in Adamawa. Ten LGAs, split between Adamawa and Borno, are at severity level 2 with strained basic services. Only one LGA in Borno is at severity level 1. No area or LGA is at severity level 5. These Joint Intersectoral Analysis Framework results underscore areas of greatest needs and where interventions should be prioritized.

Nigeria

Borno State, Nigeria

A community volunteer screens children under 5 years for malnutrition. In Borno State, malnutrition is a critical issue, with nearly half of the children under five stunted and a significant number suffering from severe acute malnutrition, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive nutritional interventions.

OCHA/Chima Onwe

Response priorities in 2025

In 2024, despite numerous challenges, significant progress was made in reaching people in need. The food security, health and protection sectors reached 60 per cent, 72 per cent, and 100 per cent of their target populations, respectively. Notably, 57 per cent of those assisted (3.2 million) were women and girls, many of whom received support for gender-based violence (GBV). These achievements were facilitated by relatively good funding levels of the HRP (56 percent as of November 2024) and proactive planning, targeting and dynamic prioritization, such as the lean season plan. However, the impact of flooding and cholera outbreaks stretched resources, and diverted resources away from planned interventions. This underscores the need to increase emphasis on anticipatory action and improved targeting through preparedness planning.

For 2025, the humanitarian response will continue the two-year strategy adopted in the 2024 HRP, focusing on three main objectives: providing life-saving assistance, protecting rights, and promoting transformation of the operation and empowerment of affected people and local partners. Underpinning these strategic objectives is an emphasis on improving the efficiency and impact of aid delivery, working more closely with government and development partners to address the underlying causes of vulnerability, enhancing the role of local partners, reducing transaction costs and finding more efficient modalities of delivery, while improving accountability to affected people. Efforts will also be made to find alternative resources, including through the Government. The HCT in Nigeria has committed to 10 per cent of the operation being channeled through local partners. A changing context, funding environment, and other factors necessitate a smarter, more agile response approach to effectively address people's needs and optimize resource allocation in certain parts of the BAY states.

Due to operational challenges including funding and capacity constraints, the number of people targeted for assistance in 2025 has been adjusted to align with realistic capacities. Current resources are expected to reach approximately 2.8 million people, down from 3.6 million targeted in 2024. This reduction reflects careful boundary-setting and prioritization.

Nigeria

Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) waiting to receive resettlement packages provided by the Borno State Government at the Muna IDP camp. The Government provides cash, food items, bedding, farming tools, and clothing to IDPs relocating from camps to their communities as part of its resettlement plan.

OCHA/Chima Onwe

Prioritizing and targeting of people in need has been determined based on the multi-sector severity scale, with the subsequent priorities outlined below. Priority 1 focuses on areas with severity level 4 (extreme), requiring immediate life-saving interventions in parts of Borno and Adamawa states, costing $485 million to reach 2 million people. Priority 2 targets severity level 3 (severe) areas, concentrating on vulnerable groups and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps with unmet basic needs, aiming to provide essential services and support durable solutions with $320 million to assist 1.3 million people. Priority 3 focuses on anticipatory action and proactive approaches to address cyclical humanitarian events like flooding and disease outbreaks, aiming to shift from reactive measures to a proactive cycle that reduces suffering and enhances efficiency. This collaborative effort requires $45 million to meet the needs of 300,000 people by ensuring preparedness and swift action through coordination among the government, development partners, humanitarian actors, and affected communities.

Nigeria has some of world’s highest levels of humanitarian needs. While the HCT recognizes that many needs exist elsewhere in the country, they do not believe that they are best addressed through the HNRP. Crisis level malnutrition in the north-west of Nigeria and large-scale displacement will therefore seek a different model where humanitarian and development actors act in tandem to address these issues. Emphasis will be on the leadership of government and their allocation of resources. Equal focus will be given to a localized approach, aimed at building or strengthening local institutions. This strategy seeks to ensure that humanitarian interventions remain limited in scope and duration, prioritizing efforts to address the root causes of vulnerability.

Aid in Action

Saving Jamila: A story of local support in north-east Nigeria

Nigeria
Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria
Hadiza, 26, and her 18-month-old daughter, Jamila, at an outpatient therapeutic programme managed by Life at Best Development Initiative.
OCHA/Princewill Chukwuebuka James

Earlier this year, Hadiza Abubakar’s 18-month-old daughter, Jamila, began rejecting food and losing weight. Hadiza, 26, thought it was only a minor illness and treated her with traditional remedies.

But when Jamila began vomiting after every meal and continued losing weight, Hadiza grew desperate. “The stress of watching my daughter’s health deteriorate made me lose my own appetite,” Hadiza shared. “My husband was worried and seeking help everywhere. I stopped eating because I was so scared my baby would die.”

Fortunately, volunteers from Life at Best Development Initiative (LABDI), a local non-governmental organization supported by the OCHA-managed Nigeria Humanitarian Fund, visited Hadiza’s community to raise awareness about malnutrition. During this visit Hadiza learned about LABDI’s outpatient therapeutic programme, and immediately took Jamila. Doctors diagnosed Jamila with moderate acute malnutrition and malaria. She was treated for malaria and given ready-to-use therapeutic food, a peanut-based paste, to aid her recovery.

Financial requirements

In 2025, the humanitarian community in the northeast and northwest requires $900 million to provide life-saving and life-sustaining assistance to 3.6 million people. The funding requirement reflects improved prioritization, targeting as well as boundary setting. It is envisaged that efficiency gains can be made through reducing transaction costs, modes of delivery and what is being delivered. While the funding requirement has decreased from $1.3 billion in 2023, to $926.5 million in 2024 and to $900 million in 2025, the number of people in need has remained relatively stable. The HCT has adopted an activity-based costing methodology, with light project formulation from sector partners to gauge capacity in high-risk operational contexts.

2024 in review: Response highlights and consequences of inaction

Response highlights

In 2024, 3.2 million people received aid, including over 2 million in hard-to-reach areas. Notably, 57 per cent of those assisted were women and girls, many of whom received support for GBV. The food security, health, and protection sectors reached 60 per cent, 72 per cent, and 100 per cent of their target populations, respectively.

A swift response was implemented for the Maiduguri flash floods that affected half a million people, including an effective cholera response. By prioritizing the lean season with a multi-sector plan, clear prioritization and sequencing of activities were implemented, including anticipatory action.

As part of the flood response, protection sector partners reached 1,280 individuals through sessions on child protection, GBV prevention, human rights, healthcare access, mental health, and psychosocial support. Efforts to support vulnerable populations included providing mental health and psychosocial support to 1,200 flood-affected individuals and offering psychosocial first aid to 1,700 people. Partners managed 63 cases of GBV, provided PeP kits to 163 survivors, and referred 124 individuals for specialized services like medical assistance and family reunification. Awareness-raising activities reached 8,695 people, focusing on cholera prevention and hygiene. Additionally, 500,000 children under one-year-old received oral cholera vaccinations, improving health outcomes in affected communities.

Aid in Action

Strengthening local actors' participation in humanitarian responses in north-east Nigeria

Nigeria
OCHA

Local organizations are critical first responders during humanitarian crises, mobilizing resources and delivering aid quickly. Their understanding of their communities allows them to quickly identify and assist the most vulnerable people ensuring that help is directed where it is needed most.

Local organizations have a unique understanding of the cultural dynamics, local context and the specific needs of affected people, which enables them to deliver assistance effectively and sensitively.

"As national organizations, we are closer to the community than most international organizations because we speak the same the language and most of them are our brothers and sisters," said Abubakar Askira, from the Hallmark Leadership Initiative Nigeria.

Recognizing the vital role that local civil society organizations (CSOs) play, OCHA in Nigeria is providing training, resources, and support to strengthen their operational capabilities.

Since early 2024, OCHA Nigeria has conducted two capacity-strengthening workshops for 48 CSO participants in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states. Participants, selected by CSO networks, include women-and youth-led organizations and groups focused on disability.

By investing in local organizations, OCHA aims to build more resilient humanitarian response, empowering these groups to continue their work long after international agencies have left the scene.

Consequences of inaction

Underfunding and limited resources are posing severe threats to humanitarian efforts. Without additional funding, the following consequences are imminent:

Collapse of critical pipelines

Many of the interventions in the HNRP are time-sensitive. Delays in funding could lead to the collapse of key pipelines such as nutrition programs, with dire consequences for vulnerable children.

Suspension of malnutrition facilities

Nearly one-third of the 813 facilities managing acute malnutrition across the BAY states may suspend operations in the fourth quarter.

Reversal of food security gains

Reduced assistance mean that hard-won progress in mitigating food insecurity is at risk. Without an extended lean season response, more individuals may fall into worse food security classifications.

Rising malnutrition rates

Without sustained nutrition assistance, the number of acutely malnourished cases in hotspot LGAs could rise to 1 in 3. This spike is due to cholera outbreaks, flash flooding, food shortages, price hikes, deteriorating infant feeding practices, and poor hygiene conditions.

Funding constraints have also led to reduced transfer values, deteriorating access to food for already vulnerable households. Recent floods and high inflation rates are compounding these issues, especially for those who rely entirely on emergency assistance. If funding falls short of targets, reduced access to nutritious food will further increase morbidity and mortality rates, particularly among children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people with disabilities. Malnutrition will intensify, leading to higher susceptibility to diseases and potentially fatal outcomes.

Moreover, food insecurity is heightening protection risks. Many IDPs in camps and return areas are not engaged in meaningful livelihood activities and depend heavily on overstretched food assistance. This situation is forcing many to adopt negative coping mechanisms. Reports indicate that women and girls are resorting to transactional sex, while children are turning to begging or engaging in child labor to survive. Insufficient funding could exacerbate these risks, leading to increased exploitation, abuse, and long-term social consequences.

References

  1. MSNA 2024 data.
  2. UNHCR data, October 2024.
  3. Nutrition sector, 2024 HNO data.
  4. GBV/IMS, October 2024.
  5. Shelter/NFI sector data.
  6. WASH sector data, as per September 2024.
  7. MSNA 2024 data, WASH sector.
  8. MSNA data 2024, North-West and South-West regions.
  9. NWSW access working group, January to June 2024 data.
  10. GBV/IMS data.
  11. NWSW Access working group, January to June 2024 data.
  12. The budget is based on a unit-based approach. At the end of community consultations analysis, the final budget will be based on activities that respond to the humanitarian needs expressed by the communities, with consideration of other emergency activities to respond to possible shocks that could affect the humanitarian context during the year.
  13. Data from the document "Compiled file of the consequences of inaction" as of July 31, 2024.