Abuja: World Food Programme (WFP) of the United Nations announced an expenditure of five million dollars, approximately N7.4 billion, on Shock-Response and Social Protection (SRSP) initiatives in Nigeria in 2025. The announcement was made by the Acting Country Director of WFP, Serigne Loum, during the inauguration of the Shock-Responsive Social Protection (SRSP)-Technical Working Group (TWG) and the Validation of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) workshop held in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the programme was organized by WFP in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, with the theme ‘Leveraging Social Safety Nets for Emergency and Disaster Response.’ Loum assured that WFP plans to increase its financial commitment and interventions in 2026 to cover a broader range of targets. He highlighted that over 35 million people in Nigeria are food insecure, primarily in the northeast region.
Last year, WFP provided unprepared action support to 70,000 people in Adamawa affected by floods. The timely assistance allowed them to take preventive measures before the flooding occurred. This year, WFP aims to increase that number, potentially reaching 80,000 people for unprepared action and extending support to more individuals through social protection.
Loum stated that WFP is dedicated to achieving zero hunger through its operations and by providing technical support to strengthen government systems in social protection, anticipatory action, emergency response, and policy coherence. He emphasized Nigeria’s extensive social register of poor and vulnerable households and the multiple crises and shocks the country has faced over the past decade, which have stretched national disaster agencies and humanitarian partners.
Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, noted that Nigeria continues to face economic and conflict-related challenges, alongside floods and droughts that disrupt the economy. Olusanya emphasized the relevance of shock-responsive social protection in anticipating, preparing for, and responding to such situations. He added that the validation of an SRSP system marks a significant step forward, promoting coherence between material intervention indicators and enhancing efficiency, transparency, and adaptability in response efforts.