The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) approval of an emergency fund for communities in Borno State, northeast Nigeria, is great, but the government has some work to do.
Development Diaries reports that the AfDB, in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP), approved a one-million-dollar grant to provide emergency food aid to flood-affected communities in Borno State.
While emergency aid serves as temporary relief for vulnerable populations, it is not a sustainable solution to the escalating food crisis in northeast Nigeria.
Without long-term interventions, food insecurity will continue to worsen. The Cadre Harmonisé warned that 33 million Nigerians could face food shortages by August 2025.
The humanitarian crisis in northeast Nigeria is not solely due to flooding. Years of conflict, displacement, and economic hardship have created a vicious cycle of food insecurity.
The floods have only exacerbated an already dire situation where access to arable land, market systems, and agricultural inputs remains disrupted. The AfDB’s support is indeed timely, but it must be complemented by structural policies that build resilience in affected communities.
The federal and state governments must now prioritise agricultural resilience in policy-making by ensuring that investments are directed towards irrigation systems, climate-smart agriculture, and sustainable farming techniques to mitigate future climate-related disasters.
Also, the AfDB and WFP should expand their interventions beyond emergency aid by strengthening local food production systems, training farmers on adaptive agricultural techniques, and ensuring access to affordable fertilizers and improved seeds.
The grant needs to be effectively monitored to ensure that it reaches those in dire need and is used for its intended purpose. Accountability mechanisms should be put in place to prevent mismanagement and corruption.
If urgent measures are not taken beyond food distribution, Nigeria risks a deepening crisis that could lead to increased poverty, malnutrition, and social unrest.
Development Diaries calls on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the government of Borno State to invest in irrigation systems, climate-smart farming, and sustainable techniques to prevent future crises.
We also call for strict monitoring and accountability to ensure that this grant reaches the right people and is used effectively, without corruption or mismanagement.
Photo source: UNICEF
