In this context, some U.S. officials have begun referring to a supposed “Christian genocide.” However, the United Nations emphasizes that these high-profile incidents only scratch the surface of a much broader crisis. Nigeria is grappling with widespread insecurity that has fueled one of Africa’s most severe and overlooked humanitarian emergencies.

“Security remains one of Nigeria’s most pressing challenges,” explains Mohamed Malik Fall, UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in the country. “It’s no longer confined to a single region—it’s nearly everywhere.”

An insurgency that has spread

The conflict originated in the country’s northeast, devastated since 2009 by an armed uprising first led by Boko Haram, later by its offshoots, including the Islamic State’s West Africa Province. Nearly two decades later, this prolonged conflict has deeply fractured the nation.

“More than two million people remain displaced—not temporarily, but permanently. An entire generation has grown up in displacement camps, knowing nothing else,” Mr. Fall notes.

Official records document over 40,000 deaths since the insurgency began, alongside the destruction of thousands of schools and health centers, and the loss of entire agricultural regions. Yet, as the UN coordinator stresses, the crisis extends far beyond physical destruction: “Populations are cut off from economic opportunities, stripped of their livelihoods, and robbed of their dignity.”

Banditry and local conflicts

Over time, this prolonged war has been compounded by more diffuse violence. In the northwest, states like Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto now face what authorities classify as “banditry”: armed criminal groups that loot, abduct, and extort. “Entire villages have been abandoned. Now, we’re talking about roughly one million displaced persons in the northwest alone,” Mr. Fall states.

Central Nigeria’s “Middle Belt” has become another flashpoint, where clashes between farmers and herders—fueled by land disputes and climate pressures—have triggered further displacement. Meanwhile, separatist movements and oil-related sabotage continue to plague the southern regions.

The result? With around 3.5 million people forced from their homes, Nigeria accounts for nearly 10% of Africa’s total internally displaced population.

No “Christian genocide,” but indiscriminate violence

Recent attacks on Christian churches and schools have reignited heated debates beyond Nigeria’s borders. In January, over 160 worshippers were abducted during Sunday services in Kaduna State. Days earlier, northwest villages were raided, leaving dozens dead, while students near the Catholic school in Papiri were targeted once again.

These shocking events have resurrected a long-standing trauma: the 2014 abduction of 276 female students—mostly Christian—from Chibok in Borno State by Boko Haram.

In response to the perceived threat to Christian communities, the U.S. launched airstrikes against jihadist positions in northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day. Some Washington officials now claim a “Christian genocide” is underway—a claim the UN avoids, citing insufficient evidence of deliberate targeting based on religion.

“I wouldn’t go so far as to label this a targeted persecution of one religious group,” asserts Mohamed Malik Fall. “The vast majority of the over 40,000 insurgency-related deaths have been Muslims, killed in mosques.”

He points to a Christmas Eve attack in Maiduguri—the insurgency’s historical heartland—that struck an area “between a mosque and a market,” killing worshippers leaving prayers. “Insecurity affects everyone, regardless of religion or ethnicity,” he emphasizes, warning that such narratives “risk deepening divisions rather than fostering unity.”

A massive but underfunded humanitarian emergency

Beneath the security crisis lies a staggering humanitarian emergency. In the northeast alone, 7.2 million people now require assistance, with nearly 6 million in severe or critical need, according to the UN.

Food insecurity has become the defining challenge. Projections suggest up to 36 million people may face varying levels of food insecurity in the coming months. Among children under five, over 3.5 million are at risk of acute malnutrition. “The consequences extend far beyond immediate needs,” warns Mr. Fall, who oversees UN humanitarian operations in the country. “Malnutrition impairs cognitive development, education, and produces lifelong effects.”

These vulnerabilities are exacerbated by climate shocks—droughts, floods—as well as recurring epidemics like cholera and meningitis, all against a backdrop of a weakened healthcare system.

Yet funding has plummeted. “A few years ago, the humanitarian response plan reached nearly $1 billion annually,” recalls the UN coordinator. “In 2024, it dropped to $585 million. Last year, just $262 million. This year, we may not even reach $200 million.”

Africa’s largest economy faces its humanitarian duty

Nigeria’s paradox is stark: a massive humanitarian crisis in one of Africa’s most economically powerful nations. “Nigeria is not Sudan, Somalia, or South Sudan,” Mr. Fall stresses. “It is a country with resources. The primary responsibility for addressing this crisis rests with its government.”

For the UN, the path forward involves gradually transferring leadership of the response to federal and state authorities, while urging donors not to look away. “No population wants to depend on aid,” he concludes. “People prefer opportunities to rebuild their livelihoods than handouts. Giving a man a fish feeds him for a day. Teaching him to fish empowers him for life.”