The European Union has announced a €15 million intervention to support internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria, with specific focus on Yobe, Adamawa, Kano, Sokoto, and Benue States.
The initiative was unveiled in Abuja by the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, who said the programmes would provide protection assistance, strengthen durable solutions, and improve living conditions for displaced populations and host communities.
At the launch of the EU Support for Internally Displaced Persons in Yobe, Adamawa, Benue and Kano States (SIDPIN) and the EU Support for Protection, Assistance and Durable Solutions in Sokoto (SPADS), Mignot explained that the projects are designed to deliver long-term benefits.
“Together with the Federal and State authorities, our partners, including the International Organisation for Migration, United Nations Human Settlements Programme, United Nations High Commission for Refugees, and Danish Refugee Council, will spearhead this initiative by focusing on local integration in urban and urbanising areas, adopting a multi-scale, integrated, and area-based territorial approach,” he said.
According to him, displacement across the northeast, north central, and northwest has already affected more than 3.5 million people. He stressed that the affected should not be regarded as mere statistics but as “lives interrupted, dreams deferred, families torn from their homes and futures.”
While many displaced persons wish to return to their homes, insecurity has made this impossible for some, while others prefer to remain in resettled areas. “This is a respectable personal choice,” Mignot noted, adding that humanitarian response must move beyond emergency aid.
“We must look at the root causes of displacement, and just as importantly, at the pathways to sustainable solutions. Our two projects will not only address immediate challenges but also contribute to laying the foundation for long-term stability, urban resilience, and peaceful coexistence outcomes that benefit everyone,” he added.
Mignot said the projects were developed through consultations with government agencies, state authorities, IDPs, and host communities to ensure alignment with Nigerian priorities. He emphasised that “true progress happens when communities are empowered, when governments take the lead, and when development is rooted in participation, inclusion, and equity.”
Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, commended the European Union and its partners for the intervention, pledging his government’s support for successful implementation.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, also described the initiatives as central to restoring lives interrupted by conflict. He stressed that displacement goes beyond humanitarian needs, affecting national development and stability.
“Nigeria is a nation of extraordinary resilience and potential. By addressing displacement with durable solutions, we are strengthening the social fabric, deepening trust in institutions, and creating pathways to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. In doing so, we help secure a future where prosperity is shared, and no community is excluded from progress,” Fall said.
He noted that the United Nations in Nigeria is working through the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2023–2027) to integrate durable solutions into national planning, highlighting that the projects are anchored in the “triple nexus” of humanitarian action, peace, and development.
The SIDPIN and SPADS projects are part of a multi-agency effort focusing on sustainable urban integration, with particular attention to women, children, and vulnerable groups.
