Photo File : A Night View of US Embassy in Nigeria

The United States Government has donated $32.5 million to the World Food Programme (WFP) to support food and nutrition assistance for conflict-affected communities in Nigeria.

In a statement on Wednesday, the US Embassy in Nigeria said the funding will provide food assistance and nutrition support to internally displaced persons in the North-East and North-West regions. The support, according to the Embassy, is aimed at saving lives and alleviating the suffering of vulnerable groups, particularly women and children.

“With this contribution, WFP Nigeria will provide food and nutrition assistance to 764,205 beneficiaries across conflict-affected areas, including complementary nutrition top-ups for 41,569 pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls, and 43,235 children through electronic food vouchers,” the statement read.

In August, the United States announced a $93 million emergency food assistance programme for 13 nations, including 12 in Africa, to address worsening hunger and malnutrition. The US Department of State said the programme will provide ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for nearly one million children suffering from severe malnutrition.

Countries expected to benefit include Haiti, Mali, Niger, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Nigeria, Madagascar, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Kenya, and Chad.

According to the US State Department, the new aid package will also cover essential food commodities, targeted nutritional support, and emergency logistics.

However, the announcement comes just two months after the closure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Trump administration’s cost-cutting reforms , a move that drew criticism from former US leaders and global health experts.