Floods in Nigeria have worsened displacement and hardship, affecting over a million people. UNHCR and WFP are providing aid but face shortages in funding, with urgent action needed to support flood-affected communities.

The UNHCR representative in Nigeria, Arjun Jain, stated that the recent floods have worsened years of prior displacement, food insecurity, and economic hardship with catastrophic results.

"Communities that had begun rebuilding their lives after years of conflict and violence were once again displaced by the floods," he told journalists at the regular UN humanitarian briefing in Geneva.

Heavy rains have affected 30 of Nigeria’s 36 states, with the government reporting 269 deaths and over a million people impacted, including more than 640,000 who are now displaced.

Nigeria is one of several West African countries devastated by torrential rains that have caused widespread flooding, affecting millions across the region.

The northeastern city of Maiduguri, Borno’s capital and a major humanitarian hub, is at the center of the crisis. Nearby Alau Dam breached due to the rains, causing severe flooding that displaced more than 400,000 people in recent days. Half of Maiduguri is now submerged, with most residents losing everything.

Many of these residents were already displaced by conflict or the effects of climate change.

In response, UNHCR and its partners have been working around the clock to assist those affected, providing tarpaulins, blankets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, and other essential supplies. Emergency cash assistance is being offered to single-parent families, people with disabilities, and families with young children to help them purchase food and other necessities.

However, UNHCR warned that supplies are running low, and the agency can only meet less than 10 percent of the urgent needs.

"When the floodwaters finally recede, thousands of families will face the difficult task of returning to homes that have been destroyed. They will require substantial support to rebuild homes, livelihoods, and a sense of normalcy," Jain said.

In the meantime, the UN and its partners are collecting more data to better assess and address the overall needs.

"But we cannot afford to wait," Jain cautioned, adding, "The urgency of this crisis demands immediate action and increased support for flood-affected families in Maiduguri and elsewhere in Nigeria."

Jain also noted that there are currently 3.6 million internally displaced people in Nigeria, mostly in the northeast, and the country hosts nearly 100,000 asylum seekers and refugees.

UNHCR is seeking $107.1 million for its operations in Nigeria this year, but Jain said that by the end of August, the appeal was only 28 percent funded.

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) has established food kitchens in four camps in Maiduguri, offering families nutritious meals of rice and beans.

The WFP is also ramping up efforts across West Africa, where the heavy rains have caused catastrophic flooding that has affected over four million people in 14 countries. The agency is providing emergency cash and food assistance to people in hard-hit areas such as Chad, Liberia, Mali, and Niger.

Additionally, the WFP is advocating for investments in early warning systems, disaster risk financing, and other measures to mitigate flood and climate-related risks.