Many individuals' physical and mental health will be compromised, potentially leading to the loss of lives. The 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan aims to assist 3.6 million people. Of these, approximately 2.8 million individuals will receive food assistance, while million are targeted for essential primary and secondary health interventions. Nutrition programmes will focus on around 2.3 million people, predominantly children. Additionally, about 2.5 million people rely on humanitarian partners for consistent access to safe water and hygiene services. A lack of funding or obstacles hindering the response will severely impact the well-being and survival prospects of those needing assistance.
Should there be no response, the living conditions of many internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, and local communities will deteriorate further. About one million people rely entirely on humanitarian shelter programmes for safe and adequate temporary housing. A failure to secure resources for housing will impede partners’ capacity to offer long-term solutions for those displaced, many of whom have endured inadequate temporary shelters for over a decade. More than half of the IDPs reside in camps and similar environments that necessitate camp management and other critical services. Without sustained humanitarian action, the living conditions of many IDPs will rapidly and severely worsen.
Internal displacement, returnees, and host communities will face ongoing protection risks, jeopardizing children’s futures. Approximately 2 million individuals are slated to receive various protection services, including 1 million children who will benefit from targeted child protection initiatives. A failure to deliver these protective measures will exacerbate an already critical situation, effectively creating a protection crisis. Women and children are particularly vulnerable to various forms of protection violations, including gender-based violence (GBV). Furthermore, many households may face eviction from their shelters unless housing, land, and property (HLP) services are timely provided. Out-of-school children will be at high risk of abduction, forced recruitment by armed groups, enslavement, and other severe abuses, including being coerced into suicide attacks. Inadequate educational opportunities and protection measures for children and youth may result in a generation losing hope for the future, increasing susceptibility to extremist influences.
Numerous families will resort to harmful coping strategies, undermining their ability to achieve sustainable solutions. In north-east Nigeria, individuals and families may engage in detrimental practices such as transactional sex, forced early marriage, and dropping out of school due to a lack of essential services. If these services are not provided, lives and health will be jeopardized, leading to lasting psychological impact and increasing marginalization. The human costs will be substantial and will hinder recovery and development essential for survival. We risk reversing the progress made in enhancing lives and alleviating suffering.
It is vital to stabilize the situation by providing fundamental services and protection for those affected by conflict to support recovery and development. Building upon existing gains and transitioning to long-term solutions is imperative. If durable solutions are unattainable, focusing on delivering sustained assistance and gradually reducing needs can foster resilience, ensuring not only survival but also dignity, security, and improved prospects for affected populations.