The Digest:
The Yobe State Government has disclosed that over 250,000 people have been affected following the United States' Executive stop-work order signed by President Donald Trump in 2025. Executive Secretary of Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (YOSEMA), Dr Muhammad Goje, revealed that the suspension of US funding, previously the largest donor to humanitarian operations in Northeast Nigeria—has forced agencies to consolidate or withdraw. Among the affected are 13,000 out-of-school children, internally displaced persons, GBV survivors, and health beneficiaries. Goje stated that over 650 metric tons of monthly food distributed by WFP to 65,000 households will cease from February 2026. Across the North-East, about 2,508 humanitarian workers have lost jobs. In 2024, the US contributed approximately $316 million, about 57% of total humanitarian funding for the region.
Key Points:
- The funding cut directly threatens the survival of 250,000 vulnerable Nigerians dependent on aid.
- It exacerbates food insecurity, malnutrition, and displacement crises in conflict-affected Yobe.
- Affected populations face hunger and loss of services, while humanitarian workers lose livelihoods.
- This signals the devastating humanitarian impact of foreign aid policy shifts.
- The timing, amid ongoing insurgency, compounds an already fragile situation.
Sources: Daily Trust, YOSEMA, WFP
