ABUJA, NIGERIA — The European Union has released €1.5 million in emergency humanitarian funding to Nigeria as part of a broader €2.3 million package aimed at strengthening cholera response efforts across West and Central Africa, the European Commission announced on Monday .
The funding comes as the World Health Organisation reported more than 61,000 cholera cases across the African Region between January and May 2026, with Nigeria recording 6,860 suspected cases and 80 deaths during the period. Nigeria’s allocation represents the largest share of the emergency package, with additional funds directed to Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Chad .
According to the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, the €1.5 million will support the deployment of additional intervention teams and the provision of essential supplies, including cholera treatment kits. A significant portion of the funding will be directed toward water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions, including the treatment of public water points and household water supplies — critical measures given that cholera is primarily transmitted through contaminated water .
The funding will also intensify epidemiological surveillance in hard-to-reach areas, strengthen case management, and expand risk communication and community sensitisation efforts. These measures are designed to address not only treatment of infected persons but also the underlying conditions that enable the disease to spread .
“Cholera is preventable and treatable. Yet it still threatens lives when people lack something as basic as safe water and healthcare,” said EU Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib. “At a time when humanitarian needs are growing and resources are shrinking, Europe is not looking away. This emergency funding will help our partners act quickly, contain the outbreaks, and protect the communities most at risk” .
The intervention comes amid a challenging cholera season across Nigeria, with transmission remaining widespread across 35 states. According to UNICEF, Borno State remains the epicentre of the outbreak, with Maiduguri, Monguno, and Jere among the highest-burden local government areas . The funding is expected to benefit remote communities where limited access to healthcare, safe drinking water, and sanitation facilities continues to fuel transmission .
The WHO data shows the Democratic Republic of Congo recorded the highest number of cases in Africa during the period with 28,567 cases and 815 deaths, followed by South Sudan with 7,712 cases. Nigeria’s 6,860 cases placed it among the countries with the highest reported caseloads on the continent .
The new allocation builds on broader international support for Nigeria’s health system. In May, the EU and WHO launched a €4.2 million programme aimed at strengthening Nigerian public health institutions, including their capacity to detect outbreaks earlier and share information more rapidly .
The latest EU intervention comes as Nigeria faces multiple public health challenges, including ongoing cholera transmission that has already claimed hundreds of lives this year alone. With 57,030 suspected cases and 357 deaths recorded across the country, health officials continue to warn that funding gaps remain critical to sustaining response efforts .
