The UN Refugee Agency’s (UNHCR) top operations and protection officials are calling attention to the plight of 3.7 million forcibly displaced people in Nigeria and the need to accelerate sustainable solutions for them.

Commending the government for respecting its international legal obligations and welcoming over 100,000 asylum-seekers and refugees from almost 50 countries, Raouf Mazou, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, and Ruven Menikdiwela, Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, pledged to increase the self-reliance of forcibly displaced people in Nigeria after a visit to the country that ends today. 

Over 3 per cent of the world's 120 million forcibly displaced people are Nigerians. More than 3.6 million are forcibly displaced within their own country by factors ranging from conflict instigated by non-state armed groups to communal clashes exacerbated by scarce resources. The number of internally displaced people (IDPs) has been gradually increasing and many continue to rely heavily on humanitarian assistance.

The high-level visit focused on sustainable solutions to this forgotten crisis, emphasizing a whole-of-society approach led by the government and harnessing the expertise of diverse actors including the UN, other development partners, member states and the private sector.

“We cannot watch this protracted situation endure, with families dependent on assistance year after year,” said Mazou. “Refugees and IDPs have repeatedly told us that they would prefer a job rather than be given a handout. In the town of Banki, I met men and women who have returned home and are ready to rebuild their lives. We hear them and are helping to build livelihood opportunities.”

In practice, sustainable programming means supporting the government, helping displaced communities get back to work, ensuring they have access to government services including social safety net programmes, working closely with the private sector to create value chains, setting up innovative financial instruments to encourage investments in communities at risk, and more. This is in line with Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Secretary General’s Action Agenda for IDPs. 

UNHCR is already working with the government to help displaced communities farm thousands of hectares of land, develop irrigation systems, tackle food security and increase rural employment.

During the five-day visit, the delegation travelled to Benue state in the north-central region. They also visited Borno state in the northeast, where they met returnees from Cameroon. Over 30,000 people have returned since the start of the year and the intention is for them to also benefit from social and economic inclusion activities.

 “Solutions are the highest form of protection,” Menikdiwela said. “This requires humanitarian, development and peace partners to work together.”

UNHCR Representative in Nigeria, Arjun Jain added “While UNHCR in Nigeria is always prepared to respond to humanitarian emergencies, we will be catalytic in supporting the government to find solutions to forced displacement in line with our responsibility for protection and solutions.”

The Assistant High Commissioners were joined by UNHCR’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Abdouraouf Gnon-Konde, who will prioritize sustainable solutions for the forcibly displaced across the region, contingent upon the protection environment, labour opportunities and conditions, and the availability of development and private-sector funding.