The government of Japan has donated $3.5 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), for the provision of food assistance to internally displaced people in the Northeastern part of Nigeria. This fund will allow WFP deliver food to over 160,000 people in Borno and Yobe States.

“We commend the Government and people of Japan for their continued contributions to WFP’s operations in Northeast Nigeria. This generous contribution from Japan will help WFP continue scaling up its response to reach more families in the region with food and nutrition support,” said Ronald Sibanda (photo), WFP Country Director and Representative ad interim in Nigeria.

Presently, about 4.7 million people are in serious need of support in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, where Boko Haram insurgency has left many people in need of reliable access to affordable and nutritious food. This figure is, however, expected to increase to 5.1 million by June.

According to Sadanobu Kusaoke, Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, the donation is part of the Japanese government’s pledge to ensure that millions of people in need of food in the northeast are reached. “It is expected that this funding will, in the interim, assuage the suffering of people in the affected states who are in a near-famine situation.”

For four months now, the WFP has extended assistance to over one million vulnerable people in northeastern Nigeria through cash-based transfers, food distributions and nutritional assistance to children under five, as well as pregnant and nursing women. Last Month, the humanitarian agency’s assistance reached nearly 1.2 million beneficiaries, with plans to reach 1.8 million people monthly during the coming lean season.

Anita Fatunji