EU Commits Over ₦450 Million in Aid for Displaced Persons in Benue, Plateau
The European Union has committed an extra €250,000 (over ₦450 million) in humanitarian aid to support thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by escalating violence in Benue and Plateau States.
According to a statement released on Thursday, the EU said the funding will be administered through the Nigerian Red Cross to assist approximately 2,500 vulnerable households around 15,000 individuals displaced in the last four months by repeated attacks from armed groups.
“This funding will allow the Nigerian Red Cross to provide immediate life-saving support, including emergency cash transfers, essential household items, healthcare, psychosocial services, as well as clean water and sanitation facilities,” the statement read.
Special attention will be given to women, children, and individuals who have been displaced multiple times, many of whom are currently living in overcrowded and under-resourced camps or informal shelters.
The EU highlighted the severity of the humanitarian situation, citing data from July 2025 showing over 615,000 displaced persons in Benue State and 65,000 more in Plateau State. Many of the displaced are subsistence farmers who lost access to their land during the critical planting season.
The new funding forms part of the EU’s larger support through the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF), managed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). In July 2025, the EU also allocated €500,000 (₦886 million) to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to address urgent humanitarian needs in Benue State over a six-month period.
The EU expressed concern over the persistent and targeted violence in both states, noting that the conflict has created a protracted protection crisis with worsening humanitarian conditions.
“With new security threats emerging weekly, the need for sustained humanitarian action remains paramount,” the EU added.
As the world’s largest humanitarian donor, the EU reaffirmed that its assistance is guided by solidarity and a commitment to upholding human dignity during crises. Its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid department supports millions of disaster victims every year, based solely on humanitarian needs.
Currently, the European Commission maintains an €8 million agreement with the IFRC to support DREF operations. The arrangement enables the EU to replenish DREF funds up to €12 million for rapid response to small-scale emergencies that don’t trigger international appeals.
