The United States government has announced a fresh $5 million contribution to support emergency nutrition interventions for children suffering acute malnutrition in Nigeria’s North-West region.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the US Mission to Nigeria said the funding, provided through the State Department, will enable the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to deliver lifesaving support to at least 70,000 vulnerable children.
According to the statement, the assistance will finance essential supplies urgently needed for treatment, including ready-to-use therapeutic food, medicines, and other critical humanitarian items.
“These funds will be used by UNICEF to provide ready-to-use food, medicine, and other humanitarian supplies. This commitment to donate lifesaving assistance affirms US global leadership, strength, and compassion,” the State Department said.
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The North-West continues to face severe food insecurity and a growing malnutrition crisis, worsened by persistent insecurity, population displacement, and disruption of access to farmlands and basic services. Aid agencies warn that these factors have left thousands of children at heightened risk of life-threatening hunger.
UNICEF currently operates nutrition programmes across the region, supplying therapeutic food and medical support to treat children battling acute malnutrition. The United States remains one of the agency’s most significant donors, funding interventions aimed at protecting children in Nigeria’s crisis-affected communities.
The latest contribution underscores Washington’s continued support for humanitarian partners working to address malnutrition and prevent avoidable child deaths in vulnerable regions of the country.