The Kingdom of Thailand has donated 12 metric tonnes of Thai long-grain rice to support humanitarian food assistance efforts in conflict-affected communities in northeast Nigeria.
The donation was officially handed over during a ceremony organised by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Nigeria as part of ongoing international interventions aimed at addressing rising food insecurity in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Country Director of WFP Nigeria, Edouard Thiam, said more than six million people across the BAY states were currently facing acute food insecurity due to prolonged insurgency, displacement, rising food prices and harsh economic conditions.
Thiam noted that WFP had continued to provide life-saving food assistance to vulnerable communities in northern Nigeria since 2016, despite declining donor support and funding challenges affecting humanitarian operations.
According to him, the rice donation from Thailand would support newly displaced persons living in Internally Displaced Persons camps across the northeast, describing rice as an essential staple that provides energy and nutrition for struggling households.
He further disclosed that about 35 million Nigerians were presently experiencing acute food insecurity, worsened by inflation, the lean season, and increasing fuel and transportation costs that have continued to push food prices higher nationwide.
Thiam stated that WFP plans to support about 700,000 vulnerable persons in northern Nigeria in 2026, a reduction from the number assisted in 2025 due to funding constraints. He added that the agency requires about 140 million dollars over the next six months to sustain humanitarian operations in the region.
Also speaking during the handover ceremony, Thailand’s representative, Ambassador Thirapath Mongkolnavin, expressed concern over the humanitarian situation in northeast Nigeria and announced a rice contribution valued at 22,000 dollars to support communities affected by food insecurity.
The ambassador recalled Thailand’s previous support of 10,000 dollars through the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund managed by UNOCHA to assist humanitarian activities in the BAY states.
Mongkolnavin also stated that the Thai government was willing to share its expertise in rice cultivation with Nigeria to promote sustainable food security and agricultural development, while commending WFP and humanitarian workers for their continued support to vulnerable communities.