The Federal Government has urged the United Nations to assist Nigeria in accessing long-term funding to address humanitarian challenges associated with internal displacement. 

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, made the call during a roundtable on Humanitarian Development, Peacebuilding Approaches to Durable Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons in Abuja. 

He emphasized that long-term funding is crucial to finding sustainable solutions to internal displacements.

The Minister suggested that access to $10 billion at 4% interest could be used to address the country’s humanitarian challenges and generate wealth for internally displaced persons.

 He noted that development partners’ funding is no longer sustainable as grants are decreasing, and proposed that funds could be obtained from the capital market for long-term investments to address humanitarian issues.

The Federal Government has initiated programs aimed at addressing humanitarian challenges, including the Renewed Hope Ward-based Development Plan and the Solutions for the Internally Displaced and Host Communities (SOLID). These programs aim to map economic opportunities across the country’s 8809 wards and provide support to internally displaced persons and host communities.

The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Mohammed Fall,  promised that the UN would continue to support the government in addressing humanitarian challenges.