The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is reducing its staff by 20% after losing a major part of its funding. OCHA confirmed that Nigeria is one of ten countries affected by this staff cut.
This decision came after the United States, OCHA’s largest donor, cut its annual contribution of $63 million. According to U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher, this cut means OCHA will shrink from about 2,600 staff to around 2,100. The organization will also operate in fewer countries due to limited resources.
Fletcher told staff in a memo, “OCHA will scale back our presence and operations in Cameroon, Colombia, Eritrea, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Gaziantep (in Turkey) and Zimbabwe.” He stressed that this move is based on funding cuts, not because the need for humanitarian help has reduced.
Nigeria Among Countries Losing UN Humanitarian Support
The United Nations humanitarian body works in more than 60 countries to support people in crisis. Their role includes mobilizing aid, coordinating support, and advocating for people in need. But with less funding, they can no longer maintain their global presence at the same scale.
Fletcher made it clear that although the U.N. is reducing its staff, humanitarian needs are rising. He said conflicts, climate change, disease, and violations of international humanitarian law are worsening situations around the world.
US Foreign Policy Cuts Hit UN Hard
The funding cut follows a broader change in the United States foreign aid policy under President Donald Trump’s administration. Since returning to office, Trump has redirected billions of dollars in foreign aid, prioritizing what he calls an “America First” policy.
OCHA depends mostly on voluntary funding. Fletcher pointed out that the U.S. has been the biggest humanitarian donor for decades, especially to OCHA’s program budget. He said this setback will force the U.N. to focus its remaining resources only in countries with the highest level of need.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres also announced a new cost-saving initiative last month. It is aimed at helping the U.N. survive its ongoing cash crisis as the organization marks its 80th anniversary.
The full impact of the decision will be clearer in the coming months. However, Nigeria and the other nine countries listed will definitely feel the effects of reduced humanitarian presence.
