The European Union has pledged €557 million in humanitarian assistance for Nigeria and other African countries as part of its €1.9 billion aid budget for 2026, reinforcing its support for regions facing prolonged conflict, displacement and humanitarian stress.
The EU’s delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS confirmed on Wednesday that a portion of the funding will be directed to Nigeria’s north-west region, which has continued to experience serious security and humanitarian challenges linked to armed violence, displacement and disruptions to livelihoods.
The commitment was announced by Hadja Lahbib, European commissioner for equality, preparedness and crisis management, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Speaking on the scale of global humanitarian needs, Lahbib said, “The humanitarian system is under unprecedented strain, and public funding alone will not meet the scale of the crisis.”
Lahbib emphasised the European Union’s position as the world’s largest humanitarian donor and said Europe was assuming political responsibility for responding to growing global emergencies. “Europe is taking action, committing an initial €1.9 billion for 2026,” she said. “As the largest humanitarian donor, we are taking our political responsibility and leading the global response. That’s why I’m in Davos: to mobilise the private sector to think bigger, move faster, and act together.”
She added, “This is a test of solidarity, and Europe is rising to the challenge.”
Beyond Nigeria, the EU has also earmarked €14.6 million for North Africa to address complex political, economic and social challenges affecting the region. In addition, more than €415 million has been reserved for responding to sudden-onset emergencies worldwide and for maintaining a strategic supply chain to support humanitarian operations.
At the Davos forum, Lahbib is also expected to engage with private sector leaders to seek additional financing and innovative solutions to complement public funding and help ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches vulnerable populations in crisis-affected areas.
