With almost 200 million inhabitants, Nigeria is Africa's most populous country. The over 500 languages spoken in the country are a manifestation of its cultural and ethnic diversity. However, despite being one of the world's largest oil producers and one of Africa's largest economies, an extremely large number of Nigerians live in extreme poverty. In addition to long standing tensions along ethnic and religious lines, terrorist insurgency in northern Nigeria have marred the country's development.
Years of instability provoked by attacks and kidnappings by Boko Haram in north-eastern Nigeria have resulted in widespread displacement and malnutrition.
The Boko Haram insurgency has morphed into a serious humanitarian emergency affecting millions across the region. More than 7 million people in northern Nigeria are displaced and in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
The effects of climate change and economic downturn have been felt in the Lake Chad region including north-eastern Nigeria, northern Cameroon, western Chad and southern Niger. Frequent prolonged droughts in the region mean there is less water and arable land to go around. The resulting food shortage has also been exacerbated by the Boko Haram insurgency. The armed opposition group has now grown from an isolated sect in Nigeria to a regional security threat carrying out suicide attacks and mass kidnappings that has spread across the borders from Nigeria into neighboring countries Cameroon and Chad, and created a complex humanitarian crisis with consequences of enormous proportions.
10.7 million people are in dire need in the Lake Chad region, most of them have been displaced by conflict and are now living in camps across northern Nigeria. Many people do not have enough to eat and lack access to clean drinking water increasing the risk of waterborne diseases like cholera and diarrheal infections.
We work in and around the city of Maiduguri with displaced people and host communities as well as in the border town of Pulka.
Project duration: August 2017 – August 2020
Financing: German Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt)
Three years ago, insurgents from the terror militia, Boko Haram attacked Kulu's village, and killed her husband. She was forced to flee with her children and arrived in a camp for displaced persons in Maiduguri, in northeastern Nigeria. The experiences left her traumatized and fearing for her sanity. Today, she is trying to get her life back on track despite the circumstances.
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Project locations: Maiduguri, Pulka
Partner: Society For Irrigation And Environmental Consciousness (SPIEC)
Financing: German Federal Foreign Office, Seliger Gerhard Stiftung
Photo credits: Emily Kinskey/Malteser International
Last update: August 2019
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