By Favour Ulebor, Abuja
The European Union (EU) has refuted claims that it has reduced its humanitarian assistance to Nigeria, particularly in efforts to tackle the growing challenge of food and nutrition insecurity.
This follows a press release issued on 25 July by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, which alleged that the EU and other international donors had made massive cuts in their support for the nutrition crisis in Nigeria.
In a press statement signed by the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS on Monday, the EU described the information as unsubstantiated and inaccurate, stressing that the level of humanitarian support provided through the EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) in Nigeria this year has remained consistent.
The statement in parts, “The level of EU humanitarian support granted by the EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Office ECHO in Nigeria in the first half of 2025 has in fact been similar to the one provided in the first half of 2024, and, as done in previous years, the EU is working to increase the amount with additional top-ups.”
The EU further stated that, just like in 2024, a significant part of ECHO’s assistance in Nigeria focuses on nutrition, health, and food assistance emergencies.
It also acknowledged that MSF had since revised the initial press release, removing the reference to the EU among international donors alleged to have made funding cuts.
“The EU Delegation takes note of the revised version of the press release published today by MSF, which eliminates the mention of the European Union when speaking of massive cuts by international donors,” it stated.
While commending the work of MSF teams in Nigeria, some of which is funded by the EU, the EU stressed the importance of sharing accurate public information, especially in humanitarian situations affecting millions of lives.
The statement also reiterated the call made by the EU Ambassador during a 22 July joint press conference with the Honourable Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction and other humanitarian actors, urging both local and global stakeholders to strengthen support for vulnerable communities.
Reaffirming its commitment to Nigeria, the EU Delegation said, “The EU is keeping its financial commitments and its general level of support across the board in the framework of its partnership with Nigeria.”
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