By Mercy Peter
The European Union has set aside the sum of €557 million humanitarian assistance package for Nigeria and other Africa in its €1.9 billion initial humanitarian aid budget for 2026.
The funding commitment was announced on Wednesday by the European Commission at a time of escalating global humanitarian needs and declining support from traditional donors.
The €557 million allocation, excluding an additional €14.6 million designated for North Africa, will cover West and Central Africa, the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin, North-West Nigeria, Central and Southern Africa, the Great Lakes region and the Greater Horn of Africa.
The Commission said the decision comes against the backdrop of a deepening global humanitarian crisis, with about 239 million people currently requiring assistance worldwide.
Despite mounting pressures on humanitarian financing and increasing strain on international humanitarian law, the European Union reiterated its resolve to sustain principled, life-saving interventions.
European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, is presenting the EU’s humanitarian commitments at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where she is engaging business leaders and investors to mobilise private sector financing and innovative funding mechanisms to complement public resources.
the humanitarian aid will support emergency food assistance, shelter, essential healthcare services, protection for vulnerable populations, and access to education for children affected by conflict and displacement.
A regional breakdown of the €1.9 billion initial budget shows that €448 million has been allocated to the Middle East, with priority attention on Gaza following last year’s fragile ceasefire, as well as Iraq, Yemen, Syria and Lebanon. Humanitarian operations linked to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine will receive €145 million, while an additional €8 million has been set aside for Moldova.
The EU has also earmarked €126 million for humanitarian needs in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran, €95 million for Central and South America and the Caribbean, and €73 million for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, particularly in response to the Myanmar crisis and its spillover into Bangladesh. North Africa will receive €14.6 million to address persistent political, economic and social challenges.
More than €415 million has been reserved to respond swiftly to sudden-onset emergencies across the globe and to maintain the EU’s strategic humanitarian supply chain.
As part of efforts to bridge the growing gap between humanitarian needs and available funding, Commissioner Lahbib is in Davos to advocate stronger partnerships with the private sector.
In collaboration with the World Economic Forum, she will co-host a high-level event titled “New Alliances in Aid and Development” on 22 January, alongside bilateral meetings with key global stakeholders.
The European Union remains the world’s leading humanitarian aid donors. Since 1992, the Commission has provided humanitarian assistance in over 110 countries through international and local non-governmental organisations, United Nations agencies and specialised bodies of EU Member States.
Commenting on the 2026 humanitarian budget, Commissioner Lahbib said the scale of today’s crises demands collective action beyond public financing.
“The humanitarian system is under unprecedented strain, and public funding alone will not meet the scale of the crisis,” she said. “By committing an initial €1.9 billion for 2026, Europe is taking responsibility and leading the global response. This is a test of solidarity, and Europe is rising to the challenge.”
