As country needs over $183m life-saving aid in the next 6 months
The World Food Programme (WEP) has said that the rampaging coronavirus disease could result in loss of 13 million jobs in Nigeria.
Spokesman for the UN agency, Ms Elisabeth Byrs said in a press statement that Nigeria needs more that $182 million to sustain life-saving aid in the country over the next six months to boost its economy, as millions of citizens across the country are currently suffering the harsh economic impact of the virus.
She said over 3.8 million citizens, particularly those in the informal sector, could lose their jobs, adding that the figure could rise to 13 million if the restriction on movements persist for long.
“We are concerned by conflict-affected communities in North-East Nigeria who already face extreme hunger and who are especially vulnerable. They are on life-support and need assistance to survive.”
Meanwhile, she said the WFP was distributing two months worth of food and nutrition assistance in internally displaced persons’ camps and among vulnerable communities.
She also stated that three million vulnerable individuals in Abuja, Kano and Lagos would also receive assistance from the WFP.
“We are actually scaling up our operations in the North-East to serve more people in response to the new challenges of more food insecurity posed by COVID-19,” she added.
She said job losses would further increase hunger, which was why it was supporting vulnerable citizens in Nigeria.
