About the crisis in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin
The violent conflict that began in Nigeria in 2009 has resulted in a severe crisis in the northeast of the country, creating vast need for lifesaving support. 8.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, 5.2 million in need of life-saving food assistance (745,000 are acutely malnourished), and 1.9 million people have been forced from their homes. Violence, including suicide bombings in IDP camps, are spreading across the country.
The Lake Chad Basin crisis is affecting more than 17 million people across north eastern Nigeria, Cameroon’s Far North, western Chad and south eastern Niger. Caused by the ravages of violent conflict, extreme poverty, underdevelopment and climate change, more than 10.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Most of the 2.4 million displaced by the crisis – more than half of them children – are sheltering in communities who are among the poorest in the world. Across the region, over 7 million people – one in three families – is food insecure, and malnutrition rates have reached critical levels, particularly in the north east of Nigeria.
Recently, the Government of Canada contributed critical funds in the areas of Food Security, Hygiene and Reproductive Health, but CARE has still not reached the amount necessary to meet the needs of the population.
What CARE is doing
CARE has reached more than 997,000 people in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger affected by the crisis with life-saving food, shelter, water, farming supplies, household and cooking items as well as hygiene kits. Our newly opened office in Nigeria is aiming to reach 900,000 people with life-saving food and livelihood assistance, sexual and reproductive health services as well as supporting women affected by gender-based violence.
CARE Nigeria is launching a Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights program, aiming to increase availability and use of sexual and reproductive health services (including family planning, maternal health and HIV) targeting 136,000 women and girls. These activities are supported by CHAF and UNFPA funding.
Learn more about the Global Hunger Crisis.
*Updated March 2018