Nigeria: Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) states - Situation Report, 24 April 2025
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SITUATION OVERVIEW
Cuts to critical health and nutrition services as humanitarians scale down operations
Amid a drastic reduction in funding for humanitarian operations, tens of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Borno State are facing increased health and nutrition risks following the withdrawal of key humanitarian partners from several local government areas (LGAs) in the State. Critical programmes affected include those treating severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and primary healthcare (PHC) facilities. Limited funding has forced some organisations to lay off staff and reduce the scope of their programmes. This has created gaps in service delivery and increased the burden on the remaining organisations. The situation has worsened the already dire situation, affecting urgent nutrition interventions, healthcare, and protection services for vulnerable people.
IDPs in Banki, Bama, Dikwa, and Ngala LGAs are reportedly the most impacted by the scaling down of humanitarian operations in Borno. As of 14 March, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) remains the sole provider of primary healthcare services at the Banki Primary Healthcare Facility in Banki LGA, offering outpatient consultations, antenatal and postnatal care, and pharmaceutical support. However, the facility is critically understaffed, with only one nurse, one midwife, two community health extension workers, and no doctors. This follows the closure of FHI 360’s health and nutrition programmes, which previously provided laboratory services, an oxygen machine, blood transfusion capabilities, and managed two stabilisation centres.
The closure of the stabilisation centres means Banki no longer has facilities to treat life-threatening SAM with complications. All cases are now referred to Morah, a community in neighbouring Cameroon, four hours away. While children with SAM without complications can still receive treatment at the UNICEF-managed outpatient therapeutic programme (OTP), the programme for treating moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) was suspended in January 2025 due to a lack of supplies, particularly ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF).
In Bama LGA, the healthcare and nutrition systems are facing critical challenges following the withdrawal of key partners. Until recently, six partners—FHI 360, UNICEF, Achieving Health Nigeria Initiative (AHNi), Action Health Incorporated (AHI), Care International, and INTERSOS- provided vital support. As of 31 March, INTERSOS and Care International had closed their 24-hour health services, FHI 360 has withdrawn, while AHNi’s project will conclude in April. UNICEF will remain the sole partner offering limited primary healthcare. However, the facility is severely understaffed, with only two midwives and six community health extension workers serving close to 150,000 people. There are no doctors or nurses, and no evening or night-time services are available, meaning emergency cases must wait until morning.
This is raising concerns about increased maternal and neonatal mortality rates and may lead to increased reliance on untrained traditional birth attendants. Chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes may also remain unmanaged. The closure of partner programmes has also meant the loss of laboratory services and blood transfusions. Emergency referrals to Maiduguri or Jere LGA will place additional strain on already overwhelmed facilities.
The nutrition sector in Bama is equally affected by the suspension of FHI 360, INTERSOS, and Mercy Corps programmes, and the conclusion of IRC’s Nigeria Humanitarian Fund-funded programmes. INTERSOS’s targeted supplementary feeding programme will be suspended due to a RUSF shortage, while CARE International’s nutrition interventions will end by mid-April. UNICEF, in collaboration with the Borno State Primary Health Care Development Agency, will remain the sole provider of OTP services. The closure of IRC’s stabilisation centres leaves Bama with no capacity to treat SAM with complications, increasing referrals to other overburdened facilities. The withdrawal of humanitarian partners and insufficient funding have left Bama’s most vulnerable people, particularly women and children, at heightened risk.
Operations at the Ngala General Hospital, the nutrition stabilisation centre, and three PHCs in Ngala LGA have ceased following the recent exit of FHI 360. Although FHI 360 officially handed over these facilities to the Ngala Local Government Council, service delivery has been halted due to the lack of qualified health personnel to sustain operations. This has created critical gaps in the delivery of essential services, limiting access to vital health and nutrition services for vulnerable conflict-affected people.
In Dikwa, only the General Hospital and one PHC, currently supported by the NHF, remain fully operational. The recent closure of six PHCs managed by INTERSOS has left the remaining PHCs struggling with increased patient numbers, with one reporting a 300 per cent surge in outpatient consultations in February. The most common medical conditions reported are acute respiratory infections, malaria, and acute diarrhoeal diseases. Nutrition services have also been severely impacted by the closure of eight OTP sites previously managed by Mercy Corps and INTERSOS, leading to a 63 per cent increase in SAM cases in February 2025. The NHF-supported stabilisation centre at Dikwa General Hospital admitted 68 children with SAM and medical complications in February. Admissions are expected to increase with the onset of the lean season. Dikwa LGA was severely affected by flooding in 2024, which devastated farmlands and likely worsened food security and nutritional outcomes.
The situation is the same in Yobe State, where the disruptions of humanitarian operations have impacted the delivery of health services for 45,000 people across 13 LGAs. Education services for 15,000 children across eight LGAs, protection services for 20,000 people across 12 LGAs, water and sanitation hygiene (WASH) services for 15,000 people across six LGAs, early recovery, and livelihood services for 35,000 people across six LGAs, food security services for 117,000 people in 14 LGAs, and multi-purpose cash assistance for 6,000 people across six LGAs have similarly been adversely impacted.
OCHA to scale down its presence in Nigeria due to funding cuts
On 10 April, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, announced that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) will draw down its presence in Nigeria due to funding cuts. OCHA will transition from a country office to a humanitarian advisory team (HAT) by the beginning of 2026.
Multiple disease outbreaks deepen humanitarian crisis in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe The humanitarian crisis in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe continues to deteriorate, as they grapple with multiple disease outbreaks posing severe public health challenges. In Adamawa State, the outbreak of five diseases, including cholera, measles, cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM), diphtheria, and pertussis, is exacerbating the humanitarian situation. By the end of March, 55 cholera cases and three deaths had been reported, with the highest numbers reported in Jada LGAs. Measles has affected 275 people, leading to eight deaths across 18 LGAs. Cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) has impacted 74 people, causing 18 deaths across eight LGAs.
With four disease outbreaks reported, Yobe State is also facing significant health challenges. A suspected measles outbreak affected 634 people across 17 LGAs between January and March 2025. By the end of March, 105 cases were confirmed, with Damaturu reporting the highest number of cases. Alarmingly, 65 per cent of the cases are children aged nine months to five years. Only 22 per cent had received at least one dose of the measles-containing vaccine (MCV). Additionally, a resurgence of vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (VDPV2) has been reported in the State. Additionally, a diphtheria outbreak has affected 248 people, leading to nine deaths across 15 LGAs, with Bade and Nguru LGAs reporting the highest numbers of cases, mostly among unvaccinated people. Furthermore, CSM has affected 102 people, causing 13 deaths across eight LGAs.
Borno State is also facing considerable health challenges. By the end of March, CSM had affected 91 people, resulting in 11 deaths. A total of 170 Diphtheria cases with 2 fatalities were recorded. The State is also experiencing a measles outbreak that has affected 402 people, causing 9 deaths. Moreover, 136 suspected cases of acute flaccid paralysis were reported with no deaths.
On 12 March, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) warned of an imminent meningitis outbreak across Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, and other northern states of Nigeria due to the current heatwave. The agency warned that meningitis, an inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, poses a significant health threat, particularly in north-east Nigeria. This area is part of the "meningitis belt,” across sub-Saharan Africa, and is prone to frequent outbreaks.
The humanitarian response in these states has been severely hampered by funding cuts, inadequate logistics, and limited infection control measures. Health partners and Government officials are actively engaging communities, conducting case searches and investigations, orienting healthcare workers, decontaminating affected areas, collecting samples, and supplying necessary medicines and vaccines to contain the spread of these diseases. However, the lack of a molecular laboratory, limited mapping and testing of water points, insufficient case search, and a high percentage of unvaccinated children due to low immunization compliance and difficult access to health services due to insecurity have exacerbated the spread of diseases.
Escalating non-state armed groups (NSAGs) attacks exacerbate displacement, protection concerns in Borno and Yobe
Escalating attacks by NSAGs have caused significant displacement in the Gujba LGA of Yobe State, north-east Nigeria. Over 300 people have fled their homes seeking refuge in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital. According to the Grassroots Initiative for Strengthening Community Resilience (GISCOR) organisation, the displaced people are in the Malammatari, Abuja Mai-Mala, and Kasaisa communities. Many others, whose numbers remain unconfirmed due to access challenges, have reportedly fled to Buni Yadi or nearby areas to escape further NSAG attacks. Most of the displaced are from the Buni Gari community.
The displaced face significant protection challenges. In Kasaisa, the IDPs have occupied damaged Government buildings and lack access to clean water, spending ₦3,000 (about $2) to buy 120 litres of water. In Abujan Mai-Mala, and Malammatari, many are living in makeshift shelters or unfinished buildings. Food assistance has been limited. Healthcare and access to sanitation remain critical across all three communities due to the absence of facilities. Additionally, none of the new arrivals have received non-food items (NFIs), worsening their situation. The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and humanitarian partners are collecting data to better address needs.
On 21 March, Government forces imposed a ban on the use of the Damaturu-Buni Gari-Biu route for all military personnel unless travelling under armed military escort. This directive followed rising security incidents along the route, linked to recent NSAG activities, including illegal vehicle checkpoints and armed attacks in Gujba LGA.
Similarly, the security situation in Monguno LGA of Borno State has also deteriorated, with NSAG members targeting non-governmental organisations’ (NGO) offices. On 19 March, suspected NSAG members attempted to break into the INTERSOS office in Monguno. All staff members managed to escape unharmed, and no abductions were reported. This incident followed a previous attack on 26 February when suspected NSAG members broke into the office of Solidarités International, set the office on fire, abducted two security guards, and burnt six vehicles belonging to a local car hire company. The severity of the attack prompted humanitarian organizations to halt operations for two days.
Beyond direct attacks on humanitarian compounds, the Maiduguri–Monguno route has also witnessed recurrent abductions of commuters, including aid workers, and continues to experience illegal vehicle checkpoints mounted by suspected NSAG members. Many humanitarian workers have reportedly continued to use the road despite the risks due to the high cost of using the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) flights, as funding reductions take effect. In the face of a volatile operating environment, aid organizations are advocating for the increased protection of civilians.
International Organisation for Migration (IOM) announces plans to transfer camp management operations to local partners in Borno State
IOM has announced plans to transfer camp management operations, including service provision, to local partners in Borno State. This initiative is part of IOM's broader strategy to enhance local capacity and ensure that the IDPs continue to receive appropriate and timely support and services.
The transition, set to take place over three months, will be conducted in collaboration with the camp coordination and camp management/shelter and non-food items (CCCM/S-NFI) sectors, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the SEMA. Key elements of the process include community engagement, the development of a clear handover plan, joint assessments, and proper documentation highlighting key challenges and lessons learned. Additionally, there will be coordination with and technical support for incoming partners on the ground.
The CCCM/S-NFI sectors will assist in identifying partners capable of taking over CCCM activities and providing services to affected people. Once the transition is complete, a summary of the handover plan will be shared with authorities at the Federal, State, and local levels. Out of the 54 sites managed by IOM, 13 IDP sites (in Biu (1), Ngala (2), Gwoza (4), and Damboa (6) LGAs will be handed over to selected partners between April and June 2025. IOM CCCM will maintain its field presence in Bama, Pulka, Monguno, and Dikwa, while the mobile team will continue monitoring camps in sites in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) (3), Jere (2), and Konduga (1).
Earlier in January, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) partner INTERSOS handed over its CCCM operations in 10 camps in Ngala, Monguno, Damasak, and Banki to the Grassroot Initiative for Strengthening Community Resilience (GISCOR), a national organisation operating in Borno State. As part of the handover process, all CCCM responsibilities, including coordination and management of the camps, provision of essential services, and maintaining the safety and well-being of camp residents, will be transferred to SEMA. Additionally, associated facilities and assets, such as shelters, water and sanitation infrastructure, and other critical resources that support the daily operations of the camps and reception centres in these LGAs, will also be handed over.
As the handover process begins, humanitarian partners have raised concerns about SEMA’s capacity to manage CCCM activities. With only one staff member deployed per LGA in Borno State, this could impact the quality and continuity of CCCM services.
Meanwhile, IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) team is also planning to scale down activities in all LGAs due to funding constraints. Humanitarian partners are concerned that the scaling down of IOM’s DTM activities will affect the availability of critical data used for planning and implementing interventions in various sectors, including food security. The DTM has been instrumental in tracking displacement patterns and providing accurate data on the needs of affected people. Without this data, humanitarian organisations may struggle to effectively target their assistance and respond to emerging needs.
Despite these challenges, the handover represents a crucial step towards local ownership and sustainability of humanitarian efforts in Borno State. By building the capacity of local authorities, the transition aims to create a more resilient system for managing IDP camps.
Nigeria Hosts First Humanitarian Roundtable
On 25 to 26 March, the Federal Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction (FMHAPR), Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, hosted the first humanitarian roundtable in Nigeria in Abuja, with the participation of the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall. The event was also attended by diverse high-level Government representatives, senior officials from several UN agencies, development partners and donors, non-governmental organizations, and civil society organizations. The roundtable aimed to build consensus on humanitarian needs across the country and to develop an inclusive, coordinated humanitarian response framework.
A communique issued at the end of the roundtable called for a tailored humanitarian strategy for each Nigerian geopolitical zone, enhanced coordination among Government, private sector, and development actors, and engagement with the National Assembly to establish a legal framework for transparent, accountable financing mechanisms, such as the proposed Humanitarian and Poverty Reduction Trust Fund.
The roundtable also emphasized the importance of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace approach, which aims to address the root causes of vulnerability and build resilience among crisis- affected people in Nigeria.
Nigeria launches Anticipatory Action Task Force for Flood Response
On 18 March, the Government of Nigeria launched an Anticipatory Action (AA) Taskforce to for flood disasters in Nigeria. Vice President Kashim Shettima inaugurated the task force, stating that it would help Nigeria shift from a reactive disaster relief approach to a more proactive one. He said this aligns with global policies, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Paris Agreement on climate change. Members of the Task Force include the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET), the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA), NEMA, FMHAPR, OCHA and other partners.
During its inaugural meeting, the task force provided a detailed briefing on its activities, including the collation of flood data from the past 30 years and preparations for an intervention framework. The Vice President commended the UN for mobilising funding for anticipatory action and lauded Nigeria’s proactive approach to developing an AA framework, positioning the country as a pioneer in AA operations. He emphasized the importance of learning from past flood experiences and expressed hope that the task force would mobilize resources for mitigation and preparedness.
On 12 February, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, announced that the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, had pre-arranged US$5 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support an anticipatory action initiative for floods in Nigeria. The funding will be released if forecasts predict a major flood emergency.
In 2024, Nigeria experienced severe flooding across 35 states, resulting in significant loss of life and widespread displacement. The floods, caused by heavy rainfall, led to the deaths of over 1,200 people and injured more than 16,400. The flooding affected over 5 million people, with many losing their homes and livelihoods. Key affected states included Borno and Rivers States. In Borno State, the collapse of the Alau Dam in mid-September caused devastating floods, displacing over 400,000 people at the peak of flooding.
The development of an anticipatory action framework tailored to Nigeria's specific needs will enhance the country's ability to anticipate and respond to floods, which have been a recurring challenge.