Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 9 March (HL1991), why they do not provide humanitarian assistance in the middle belt states; and what plans they have, if any, to provide such assistance in future.

UK humanitarian assistance in Nigeria supports vulnerable people with the most acute lifesaving needs and is aligned with the United Nations Humanitarian Response Plan which is focused on North East Nigeria. The UK is a leading donor to the humanitarian crisis in North East Nigeria where 7.9 million people are in need of lifesaving assistance this year. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic the international community is reviewing whether humanitarian assistance is needed in additional areas of Nigeria beyond the North East region. In the future the UK may decide to provide humanitarian assistance to other areas of Nigeria, based on lifesaving needs.