Hunger Looms as UN Air Service Ends Flights in Nigeria

The UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) has grounded its fixed-wing flights in Nigeria. The reason is they’re running out of money.

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed this at the UN headquarters in New York. “For nine years, the service has transported humanitarian staff, medical supplies, and critical cargo to and from the epicentre of the crisis in Borno and Yobe states,” he said.

He warned that road transport remains extremely dangerous in the northeast. “In a country that has experienced unending conflict for the past 16 years, air transport is essential,” he added.

The World Food Programme (WFP), which runs UNHAS, had earlier sounded the alarm. It said operations may soon grind to a halt for millions.

Margot van der Velden, WFP Regional Director for West and Central Africa, explained the scale of the problem. She said the organisation needs $130 million to keep food and nutrition aid flowing in northeast Nigeria for six months.

“Due to the severe funding cuts that the World Food Programme is facing, we have exhausted our food and nutrition resources,” she said.

Her voice carried worry as she painted the picture. “At the beginning of August, we will have to face the heartbreaking reality of having to suspend our operations… not because there is no need but because there are no resources for that assistance.”

Humanitarian Impact

The WFP fears that if help stops, millions will face impossible choices. People could be forced into severe hunger, risky migration, or even exploitation by extremist groups.

Velden acknowledged Nigeria’s role in filling the gap. “The government of Nigeria is the largest financier of this emergency response now in the northeast of Nigeria,” she said.

UNHAS flights have been a lifeline. In 2024, they carried over 9,000 passengers. Already this year, 4,500 humanitarian workers have used the service to reach crisis-hit areas.

But Dujarric issued a stark reminder: $5.4 million is needed to keep the air service alive for the next six months. “Without this funding, the humanitarian response in northeast Nigeria risks being cut off from the very people it is meant to serve,” he said.

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