The World Food Programme (WFP) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have launched a $1 million initiative to combat food crisis and malnutrition in North-West Nigeria. The programme provides multi-purpose cash and nutritious food to vulnerable populations, particularly pregnant women and children under two.
At the launch of the ECOWAS-FMHAPA-WFP stabilisation project phase 2 in Katsina, WFP’s Deputy Head of Programme, Manuela Reinfeld, announced that WFP contributed $600,000 to the fund. The support includes therapeutic supplementary feeding, unconditional food assistance, and resilient building activities targeting women.
Reinfeld emphasized that the initiative aims to address the root causes of malnutrition and provide relief to beneficiaries. The programme will distribute 5,000 metric tonnes of wheat from Ukraine to Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara States.
ECOWAS Permanent Representative, Musa Nuhu, explained that the stabilisation fund was established to support victims of terrorism and banditry. The fund provides $1 million annually to Nigeria for social alleviation initiatives.
The Katsina State Government, Dikko Radda, commended the partners for their support, while the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Olumuyiwa Enitan, highlighted the careful selection of beneficiaries based on global best practices,
