Urgent un appeal: $5.1 billion needed to tackle humanitarian crisis in West and Central Africa

As part of a massive $33 billion global relief strategy for 2026, the UN and its partners are requesting $5.1 billion to provide essential aid to 24 million highly vulnerable individuals across West and Central Africa.

By 2026, it is estimated that more than 42 million people will depend on external assistance for survival and safety in countries such as Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali, Niger, Nigéria, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Chad.

Charles Bernimolin, the Regional Head of OCHA for West and Central Africa, warned that without a rapid injection of resources, families will endure worsening hunger, further displacement, and severe protection threats, leading to intensified human suffering.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the region is trapped in an escalating crisis. Persistent conflict, widespread violence, and environmental shocks are forcing families from their homes and destroying their ability to secure basic necessities.

Instability in the Sahel and Lake Chad regions

The security situation in the central Sahel—particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—is increasingly affecting neighboring Bénin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Mauritania. Additionally, the ongoing conflict in Sudan and violence in the Lake Chad basin are triggering new waves of displacement.

The region currently counts 12.7 million internally displaced persons and 3.7 million refugees and asylum seekers. The majority of these individuals are women and children who are often forced to flee multiple times, leaving them exposed to exploitation and gender-based violence, including reports of survival sex and sexual assault.

While violence spreads, the climate crisis is making the situation even more precarious. In 2025, extreme rainfall and flooding impacted over 2 million people across 12 nations, wiping out crops, damaging homes, and cutting off access to healthcare and education. The Democratic Republic of the Congo was especially devastated, with over 830,000 people affected by these disasters.

The dire consequences of funding shortfalls

OCHA points out that although donors were generous in 2025, humanitarian efforts faced a massive financial gap. Of the $7.8 billion needed, only $1.8 billion was received—a mere 24% of the total requirement.

These budget deficits have forced aid agencies to drastically reduce their reach, making painful choices about which regions and vulnerable groups to support. The impact of these cuts has been catastrophic.

• In the Central African Republic, cash-based assistance programs were slashed by 75%.
• In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where conflict has sparked new mass displacements, 85% of those targeted for emergency shelter received no help.

Despite these financial hurdles, humanitarian teams remain committed to addressing the most urgent needs. By the end of 2025, aid workers will have reached approximately 19 million people in the region. However, agencies emphasize that the lack of funding has left millions of others without any support.