By Milcah Tanimu

The Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) for 2024 reveals the escalating humanitarian crisis across Nigeria, with a particular focus on the BAY states (Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe). The analysis underscores the dire situation caused by domestic armed conflict, emphasizing the urgent need for intervention.

Conducted in late October 2023, the HNO highlights five critical drivers of humanitarian needs: conflict and displacement, food insecurity and malnutrition, disease outbreaks (including cholera), floods, and camp closures and involuntary relocations and resettlement.

In the BAY states alone, over 7.9 million people face severe protection concerns and extreme deprivation, with women and children, particularly girls, bearing the brunt of the crisis. Borno State, in particular, emerges as the epicenter of the crisis, with more than half of its population classified as people in need (PiN).

Food insecurity and malnutrition remain pressing issues, affecting millions of people, with over 1.5 million children under five facing acute malnutrition. Operational challenges persist, with insecurity hampering the delivery of assistance in conflict-affected areas.

Beyond the BAY states, acute needs are observed throughout Nigeria, including food insecurity, inter-communal violence, natural disasters, and disease outbreaks. High levels of inflation further compound vulnerability, impacting the ability of humanitarian partners to deliver assistance effectively.

The HNO, developed using a comprehensive framework, provides a snapshot of the humanitarian situation as of late 2023. However, it is subject to updates throughout the year to reflect changes in the situation and ensure effective response to evolving needs.