The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially requested a $1 million grant from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to provide emergency food aid to communities devastated by the 2024 floods. This humanitarian intervention aims to alleviate the severe food insecurity and displacement caused by the floods, which have affected 29 states, displaced over 200,000 people, and destroyed more than 500,000 hectares of farmland.
Scope of the Emergency Relief Initiative
The proposal, obtained by Nairametrics, outlines a plan to support 122,253 individuals across 16 of the worst-hit districts. The intervention will deliver food packages consisting of 25kg of rice and 10kg of beans to affected households. The food distribution is scheduled to take place between October 2024 and February 2025, providing critical sustenance during the recovery phase.
This initiative is designed to complement ongoing efforts by the Nigerian government, which has already provided food assistance, including rice and spaghetti, to flood victims. The AfDB’s intervention focuses on addressing gaps in the food supply, particularly the need for diverse nutrition to stabilize livelihoods and ensure food security for the most vulnerable households.
Financial Breakdown of the $1 Million Grant
The $1 million grant from the AfDB’s Special Relief Fund (SRF) will be allocated as follows:
- $870,919 will go toward the purchase and transport of 799.046 metric tons of rice and beans, which represents the bulk of the funding.
- $48,421 will cover project implementation costs, including expenses for the World Food Programme (WFP)‘s field operations, logistics, and coordination.
- $42,198 will be allocated to direct support costs, which include the management and oversight responsibilities of the WFP Country Office.
- The remaining $38,462 (approximately 4% of the total grant) will be used for indirect support costs to ensure proper monitoring and accountability during the implementation of the program.
AfDB and WFP Collaboration for Relief Efforts
The AfDB will provide the financial support, while the WFP, an expert in humanitarian aid and food distribution, will handle the operational aspects of the project. This includes identifying beneficiaries, delivering food packages, and conducting post-distribution monitoring to assess the effectiveness of the intervention.
The initiative targets households in the most flood-affected regions, ensuring that the food distributed will help address the immediate consumption needs of families, allowing them to survive the critical recovery months while also preventing long-term nutritional insecurity.
Impact of the 2024 Floods
The 2024 floods, exacerbated by the collapse of the Alau Dam in Borno State, have wreaked havoc, particularly in northern Nigeria. In Maiduguri, over half of the city was submerged, leading to the destruction of vital infrastructure, including Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and 25 schools. These devastating floods have also triggered waterborne diseases like diarrhoea and malaria, further complicating the humanitarian crisis.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has described the situation as beyond the government’s capacity to address without international assistance, which is why the AfDB grant is critical. President Bola Tinubu has appealed for global support to help mitigate the impacts of the crisis, as local resources have been stretched thin.
Complementing Global and Local Support
The AfDB grant aligns with broader international aid efforts. Earlier reports revealed that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) committed over $6.5 million for flood-related humanitarian aid in Nigeria, and Borno State received N816.34 million from the Ecological Fund between January and June 2024 for flood management.
However, the Ecological Fund has seen a significant underutilization, with only N20 million spent on flood control in the first half of 2024, raising concerns about the effectiveness and preparedness of local authorities in handling such disasters.
The $1 million AfDB grant will provide much-needed relief to the flood-affected communities in Nigeria, helping to stabilize food security and prevent further socio-economic damage. By working alongside the WFP and other international partners, the Nigerian government aims to mitigate the immediate effects of the disaster and support long-term recovery efforts. As flood victims continue to face hardship, the combination of international aid, government response, and local support will be critical in rebuilding and restoring stability to affected regions.
