The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) says it is providing nearly $104 million in additional humanitarian assistance to respond to Nigeria’s ongoing crisis, where an estimated 8.7 million people are at risk.

This was disclosed in a statement made available to Peoples Gazette by the Africa Media Hub of the U.S. State Department.

The “additional assistance” will provide urgently needed support for communities, including food, health, nutrition, shelter, protection, water, sanitation, hygiene, and humanitarian coordination programmes.

Since 2015, violence and insecurity have driven people from their homes and exacerbated humanitarian needs in northern Nigeria.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further impacted food insecurity, raised protection concerns, including the risk of gender-based violence, and reduced access to necessities such as safe drinking water, nutrition, and shelter.

“The United States is the single largest donor for the humanitarian response in Nigeria, having provided nearly $505 million in fiscal years 2020 and 2021.

“The U.S. remains committed to helping the people affected by this conflict and will continue to provide vital support to the people of Nigeria,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has called on other donors to do the same by providing life-saving assistance to vulnerable Nigerians and the communities that host them.