UN Halts Humanitarian Air Service in Northeast Nigeria Amid Funding Crisis

The United Nations has suspended its humanitarian air service in northeast Nigeria due to a severe funding shortfall, raising fears of a deeper crisis for millions affected by conflict.

The U.N. Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), operated by the World Food Programme (WFP), ended its fixed-wing flights last week after nearly a decade of transporting aid workers, medical supplies, and cargo into conflict zones in Borno and Yobe states.

According to UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, more than 9,000 passengers relied on the service in 2024 alone, while 4,500 humanitarian staff have already used it this year. He warned that $5.4 million is urgently needed to keep the operation running for the next six months.

“In a country that has faced 16 years of conflict, where road travel remains extremely dangerous, air transport is essential,” Dujarric said. “Without this service, humanitarian response in northeast Nigeria risks being cut off from the very people it is meant to serve.”

The shutdown comes as the WFP struggles with major financial shortfalls. In July, the agency warned it could suspend food and nutrition aid for 1.3 million people in the region if funding gaps persisted.

Despite significant support from the Nigerian government which is now the largest financier of emergency relief, the UN stressed that international donor contributions remain critical to sustaining large-scale operations.

The agency cautioned that without air access, aid workers will struggle to reach remote conflict-hit communities, leaving millions already facing hunger, displacement, and vi%lence even more vulnerable. Families, it warned, could be forced into dangerous survival choices, including unsafe migration or exploitation by extremist groups.

About The Author

Osmek News

See author's posts