The Government of Ukraine has stepped in to offer a crucial lifeline by donating 25,000 tonnes of wheat as emergency food assistance to support 1.3 million vulnerable individuals in northeast Nigeria.
This timely aid comes amidst a backdrop of soaring inflation and food price spikes in the country.
Atinuke Akande-Alegbe, Senior Communications and Public Diplomacy Officer at the British High Commission’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, relayed this information in a statement to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.
She emphasized that this generous contribution was made in collaboration with the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) to address the pressing humanitarian needs in northeast Nigeria.
Akande-Alegbe further elaborated that Ukraine’s donation was part of their humanitarian initiative, “Grain from Ukraine,” spearheaded by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
She revealed that the shipment was made possible through a joint effort involving several countries including the UK, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Luxembourg, Norway, the Republic of Korea, and Sweden, facilitating the transportation of the wheat from Ukraine to Nigeria.
Highlighting the necessity of this intervention, the spokesperson emphasised that the steep rise in staple food prices in Nigeria has rendered basic meals unaffordable for millions of vulnerable families nationwide.
This collaborative grains intervention aims to alleviate the burden on these affected communities and provide essential sustenance during these challenging times.
“This is a really tough time for many people across the world, including in Nigeria, it is important that we help the most vulnerable populations.
“The UK is proud to be part of the global community supporting WFP to distribute lifesaving grain across Nigeria, reaching over 600,000 people.
“This contribution will go some way to addressing rising food insecurity, driven by conflict and regional instability. We continue to back measures that help reduce its impact in Nigeria, support livelihoods and promote peace.
“Deadly conflicts and persistent violence in northeast Nigeria have forcibly displaced millions of individuals from their homes and disrupted agricultural activities, endangering both food security and livelihoods,” remarked Cynthia Rowe, British High Commission Development Director, as quoted in the statement.
She further highlighted that over the past three months, unlike in previous years, prices of essential staples in various Nigerian markets surged above pre-harvest levels, hindering food access for vulnerable families who rely on harvests and markets for their supplies.