UNICEF Expands Local Aid Efforts to Combat Malnutrition in Northeast Nigeria

UNICEF is expanding its local capacity-building program from Borno to Yobe state in Nigeria to overcome security barriers and address severe malnutrition and food insecurity caused by insurgency and economic hardship. The initiative empowers local actors to deliver essential services, including health, nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene, and protection, especially in hard-to-reach areas inaccessible to international agencies. UNICEF collaborates with local government agencies and partners to train and support these local actors, aiming to reduce malnutrition by educating mothers on nutrition and breastfeeding using locally available foods. The Nigerian Army’s 8 Division has pledged to collaborate with UNICEF to protect children and facilitate humanitarian interventions amid conflict. Separately, in Cameroon, FedEx supports International Medical Corps in delivering critical medical and nutrition supplies, including Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods, to combat severe acute malnutrition among children affected by overlapping humanitarian crises. These combined efforts highlight the importance of local partnerships and logistical support in addressing child malnutrition in conflict-affected regions.