Nigeria is seeking a shift from recurrent humanitarian assistance towards stronger national systems capable of addressing poverty, displacement and vulnerability.

The proposed shift is part of the Federal Government’s emerging humanitarian and poverty reduction agenda being presented during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The government is expected to discuss the approach at a high-level UNGA side event themed, “Beyond Assistance: Reducing Poverty, Advancing Protection and Building Shared Prosperity.”

The initiative is centred on the One Humanitarian One Poverty Response System, designed to improve coordination between humanitarian response, social protection, poverty reduction and economic inclusion.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, said the objective was to move beyond interventions that only helped vulnerable households survive individual shocks towards systems that enabled them to recover, build resilience and become progressively self-reliant.

The initiative comes as Nigeria faces persistent food insecurity, displacement and poverty alongside declining international humanitarian financing.

Analysis of United Nations humanitarian funding records showed that about $7.83 billion was recorded for Nigeria over 13 years, while identified requirements stood at about $10.51 billion during the period.