By Deborah Nnamdi
The United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, has allocated “$5m from its Central Emergency Fund”, to support flood preparedness efforts in Nigeria.
This was made known in a statement issued Wednesday by the UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall.
According to the statement, the funding is aimed at helping to mitigate the impact of anticipated floods, particularly in northern states, where floods are often accompanied by food insecurity and disease outbreaks.
The UN emphasized the importance of proactive measures in response to these risks, stressing that acting ahead of such crises can save lives, protect livelihoods, and reduce the overall cost of humanitarian responses.
The statement explained that the $5m CERF allocation is part of a broader strategy involving Nigerian agencies such as the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the National Emergency Management Agency, with the support of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, highlighted the need for anticipatory action in response to predictable shocks, noting that this approach is increasingly important given the global decline in humanitarian funding.
“Anticipating and acting ahead of crises such as floods saves lives. It also helps to protect peoples’ livelihoods which in turn reduces their vulnerability.
“In a global landscape characterized by reducing funds for humanitarian action, this proactive approach is critical as it does not only reduce the worst impacts of emergencies, but it also helps to reduce the overall cost of the humanitarian response,” he said.
The $5m CERF allocation complements government-led efforts through the anticipatory action task force, which aims to minimize the impacts of floods by preparing ahead of time.
In addition to the CERF funding, Nigeria’s 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan has allocated 5 percent ($45 million) of its total budget for anticipatory action.
However, more funds are urgently needed to scale up early action and address the increasing flood risks.
