RismadarVoice Reporters
November 11, 2026
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has disclosed that nearly 64,000 people have fled violence in northern Nigeria to neighbouring Niger Republic since the beginning of 2026.
The UN refugee agency raised concerns over the worsening humanitarian situation in a briefing delivered in Geneva on Tuesday, November 10.
UNHCR Director of External Relations, Dominique Hyde, said the increasing displacement was placing additional pressure on Niger, which already hosts more than 500,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, including approximately 327,500 Nigerians.
According to the agency, several hundred Nigerians have also crossed into neighbouring Benin Republic to escape attacks by armed groups.
Most of the new arrivals in Niger have settled in Diffa and Tahoua, two border regions already struggling with insecurity, limited resources and climate-related challenges.
UNHCR reported that approximately 1,200 people arrived in Diffa in October, while another 3,400 crossed into Tahoua during the same period.
Since January, more than 23,000 people have arrived in Diffa alone, with children accounting for over two-thirds of the displaced population.
The agency warned that many families were living in makeshift shelters without adequate food, clean drinking water, healthcare or sanitation facilities.
Humanitarian organisations have also reported malnutrition, respiratory infections and worsening living conditions among displaced families.
Hyde expressed concern that only about five per cent of Nigerian refugees arriving in Niger this year had been formally registered.
The low registration rate has left thousands without the documentation required to access humanitarian assistance and essential public services.
UNHCR further warned that insecurity and climate-related challenges were worsening conditions in host communities, particularly in Diffa, where more than 70 per cent of Niger’s reported security incidents this year had occurred.
Despite these difficulties, Nigerien authorities and host communities have provided support, including land for temporary shelters.
However, the agency said existing resources were insufficient to meet growing humanitarian needs.
UNHCR is seeking $11.4 million to strengthen emergency assistance and longer-term support across Niger, Nigeria and Benin.
The appeal includes $2 million for urgent interventions covering food, water, shelter, healthcare, refugee registration and protection services.
The agency called on international donors and humanitarian partners to increase financial support, warning that continued funding shortages could leave thousands of displaced families without essential assistance.
The latest figures highlight the continuing humanitarian consequences of insecurity in northern Nigeria and the increasing pressure on neighbouring countries receiving displaced families.
