Trump-era aid cuts have significantly impacted Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) globally, particularly in conflict zones in Nigeria especially, as key UN agencies reduce or withdraw essential humanitarian support.
In conflict-affected states like Borno and Benue, IDPs are facing growing food insecurity as major UN agencies—particularly the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) and the World Food Programme (WFP)—prepare to scale down or completely withdraw their operations.
According to a Daily Trust investigation, many displaced persons in these regions have expressed deep concern over the looming pullout, fearing it will compound their already dire humanitarian situation.
The IDPs are Nigerian citizens who have fled their homes due to unchecked attacks by Boko Haram terrorists and armed bandits across the northern region of the country.
The worsening conditions come amid revelations that UNOCHA plans to shut down its operations in Nigeria.
This was disclosed by Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Professor Nentawe Goshwe, who stated during a workshop in Abuja that the UN Resident Coordinator, Mohamed Fall, had informed him of the agency’s decision, despite Nigeria’s ongoing humanitarian needs.
Further confirmation came through a letter shared on UNOCHA’s website on April 11, in which the agency’s head, Tom Fletcher, announced “brutal cuts” prompted by a $60 million funding shortfall for 2025.
The statement indicated that UNOCHA would scale back or exit from multiple countries—including Nigeria, Cameroon, Colombia, Eritrea, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Turkey, and Zimbabwe—while focusing on what it described as “dynamic and full responses” in the most urgent operational areas.
The global effects of US aid withdrawal
The global humanitarian landscape is facing severe disruption following the sweeping aid cuts instituted under President Donald Trump’s administration, with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in fragile states among the hardest hit.
Historically, the United States has been the single largest donor to international relief bodies, including the United Nations and its affiliated agencies, supporting food, shelter, education, and health services in regions plagued by conflict and natural disasters.
However, since Trump returned to office, his administration has slashed 83% of humanitarian programs funded through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), prompting agencies to scale down drastically.
The effects are already visible: the UN World Food Programme (WFP), which previously relied on the U.S. for nearly half its funding, has announced plans to cut staff by up to 30 percent, a move expected to disrupt food aid to the 343 million people it serves.
Similarly, the UNHCR has warned that dwindling U.S. contributions could force a reduction of up to one-third in its global refugee support operations, despite escalating humanitarian needs in crisis zones like Sudan, Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan, and Nigeria.
These changes are having a cascading effect on already vulnerable IDP communities, where reductions in food rations, health services, and shelter are worsening an already precarious existence.
Aid officials warn that without urgent alternative funding sources, the humanitarian safety net may collapse entirely in several regions.
