Nigeria lost $10bn to Northeast conflict – UN

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that Nigeria lost an estimated $10 billion over the past decade to the prolonged conflict in the North-East.

UNICEF Country Representative, Wafaa Saeed, disclosed this in Maiduguri on Wednesday during the launch of a socio-economic reintegration programme for children affected by armed conflict.

Represented by Shah Mohammad Khan, UNICEF’s Child Protection Manager, Saeed said the insurgency had crippled economic growth, destroyed livelihoods, and pushed thousands of families into poverty.

“According to a 2024 study commissioned by UNICEF, the economic cost of conflict in North-East Nigeria has cost the country a staggering $10 billion over the last 10 years,” she said.

She lamented that years of violence had not only devastated communities but also robbed children—especially girls—of education, skills, and opportunities to build meaningful futures.

“Conflict has weakened the national economy and crippled the income and earning potential of families and young people. Many have been denied the opportunity to learn a skill or pursue their dreams,” Saeed added.

The UNICEF representative noted that the new reintegration programme aims to equip conflict-affected children with vocational and life skills, helping them rebuild their lives and regain dignity.

Currently, 1,033 children — including 567 boys and 466 girls — are receiving training in tailoring, ICT, automobile repair, shoemaking, and carpentry across Maiduguri, Bama, Biu, Damboa, and Konduga.

“These vocational centres restore not just learning but also hope, dignity, and opportunity for conflict-affected adolescents and their families,” she said.

Saeed added that the initiative also provides psychosocial support, life skills, and formal certification, with plans to reach over a thousand new beneficiaries each year.

“Graduates will not only build brighter futures for themselves but also contribute to peace, recovery, and resilience in their communities,” she said.

Borno State Commissioner for Education, Abba Wakilbe, commended UNICEF and its partner agencies — UNDP, IOM, and UNODC — for their continued support.

“Let me particularly thank UNICEF for coming to our aid in many of our difficult situations,” Wakilbe stated.