By Ihechi Enyinnaya
Nigeria is to receive €1.5 million from a €2.3 million emergency humanitarian funding package released by the European Commission to support the fight against the ongoing cholera outbreak in West and Central Africa.
The funding, announced on Monday, August 17, 2026, will also support Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Chad as the countries battle the spread of the disease.
According to the European Commission, the World Health Organization reported more than 61,000 cholera cases in the African Region during the first five months of 2026.
In Nigeria, the €1.5 million allocation will be used to increase the number of intervention teams and provide essential supplies, including cholera kits.
The funding will also support water, sanitation and hygiene interventions, including the treatment of public water points and household water, while strengthening epidemiological surveillance in inaccessible areas.
The European Commission said the funding would further help strengthen case management, risk communication and community sensitisation efforts in Nigeria.
Cameroon will receive €100,000 to support outbreak containment and case management, including the deployment of additional staff for humanitarian partners working on the ground.
The allocation will also provide essential medicines, additional cholera treatment units and oral rehydration points in villages most affected by the outbreak.
The Central African Republic will receive €500,000 to scale up case management and vaccination, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene interventions.
The funding will also strengthen risk communication and community engagement, surveillance and case detection, while supporting dignified and safe burials.
Chad is expected to receive €200,000 to help break the chain of cholera transmission through improved access to water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as community support for surveillance and case management.
Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, said cholera remained preventable and treatable but could continue to threaten lives where people lacked access to safe water and healthcare.
“Cholera is preventable and treatable. Yet it still threatens lives when people lack something as basic as safe water and healthcare,” Lahbib said.
She said the European Union would continue to support humanitarian partners despite growing humanitarian needs and shrinking resources.
“At a time when humanitarian needs are growing and resources are shrinking, Europe is not looking away,” she said.
According to her, the emergency funding would enable humanitarian partners to respond quickly, contain the outbreaks and protect communities most at risk.
Cholera is caused by the Vibrio cholerae bacterium and is commonly transmitted through the consumption of contaminated water or food.
In severe cases, the disease can cause rapid loss of body fluids, leading to dehydration and shock if not treated promptly.
The European Commission noted that cholera is not a common problem in Europe and that the risk of transmission from imported cases remains low.
The EU said the emergency funding was aimed at strengthening immediate response measures and protecting vulnerable communities in the four affected countries.