UN releases $48m to sustain humanitarian air operations in Nigeria

The United Nations has approved a $48 million funding package to sustain critical humanitarian air services across Nigeria and seven other countries, as aid operations face mounting financial pressure globally.

The allocation, drawn from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, was authorised by Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher to support the continued operation of the UN Humanitarian Air Service.

According to the UN, the funding will keep UNHAS flights running in Nigeria, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan, and Syria, countries where insecurity and difficult terrain often make road access nearly impossible for aid workers.

The air service plays a crucial logistical role, transporting humanitarian personnel, medical supplies, and emergency relief materials into hard-to-reach areas. Without it, many communities affected by conflict and displacement risk being cut off entirely from lifesaving assistance.

Lifeline service faces growing funding pressure

At a briefing in New York, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric described the air service as a “lifeline” for humanitarian operations, particularly in conflict-hit regions.

He warned, however, that shrinking global humanitarian funding could jeopardise the programme’s sustainability, raising the possibility of flight suspensions if additional resources are not secured.

The latest allocation was made possible following a $2 billion contribution from the United States to UN-managed humanitarian funds, providing temporary relief to overstretched operations.

In Nigeria, the impact of funding shortfalls has already been felt. The UN suspended its fixed-wing air operations in the country in September 2025 after exhausting available resources, significantly disrupting aid delivery in the insurgency-affected northeast.

That suspension cut off a vital transport link for humanitarian workers operating in remote and conflict-prone areas, where road travel is often unsafe or impractical.

The crisis has also compounded broader humanitarian challenges in the region. The World Food Programme had earlier warned that funding gaps could force reductions in emergency food and nutrition assistance for approximately 1.3 million people in north-east Nigeria.

Thousands depend on humanitarian flights

Despite the constraints, UNHAS has remained a critical backbone for aid operations. In 2024, the service transported more than 9,000 passengers across its network, while in 2025, over 4,500 humanitarian workers relied on its flights to access isolated communities in Nigeria’s northeast.

These figures underscore the scale of dependence on the service, particularly in regions where infrastructure challenges and security risks severely limit alternative means of transportation.

With the new funding injection, the UN aims to stabilise operations in the short term, ensuring that humanitarian workers can continue reaching vulnerable populations.

However, officials maintain that without sustained international support, the long-term future of the air service, and the aid efforts it enables, remains uncertain.

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