EU, UNICEF, ILO launch €13m project in Benue

The European Union (EU), in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), has launched a €13 million project in Makurdi, Benue State.

The EU-funded initiative is expected to be implemented by UNICEF and the ILO in four states—Benue, Abia, Oyo, and Sokoto—as well as at the federal level.

According to the partners, the aim of the project is to strengthen social protection systems to better respond to shocks, reduce poverty, and protect vulnerable populations, including children, women, persons with disabilities, and those affected by conflict and displacement.

The launch comes just days after a deadly attack in the Yelwata community of Benue State, which left several people dead and over 3,000 displaced, including more than 500 children.

Speaking at the occasion, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, said: “The recent violence in Benue is a painful reminder of how vulnerable communities are to shocks. The EU is helping to build stronger, more inclusive social protection systems through this partnership so that no one is left behind in a crisis.”

Also speaking, the UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate, said: “When families are forced to flee violence, lose their livelihoods or face poverty, social protection becomes a life-saving measure.

“SUSI will help create systems that can respond quickly and reach those most in need, especially children, before their lives are permanently derailed.”

The Director of the ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Vanessa Phala, stated: “Social protection is a right and a foundation for social justice. This project will strengthen the policy and legal frameworks, data systems, and financial mechanisms that ensure people have the security and opportunity to live in dignity.”

While formally launching the project, Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, represented by his deputy, Sam Ode, described the initiative as timely and deeply needed.

He said: “Our communities in Benue have endured recurring waves of violence, economic hardship, and displacement.

“This initiative is timely and deeply needed. It equips us with systems to reach affected families swiftly, protect the most vulnerable, and rebuild lives with dignity. It is a critical step toward ensuring no one falls through the cracks again.”

In his address at the occasion, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, said: “This project is perfectly aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and our commitment to institutionalising a social protection system that is both inclusive and shock-responsive.

“With the SUSI project’s multi-stakeholder approach, we now have the tools, partnerships, and momentum to ensure that no crisis, no matter how sudden, leaves Nigerian families without support or hope.”

The launch event brought together federal and state officials, development partners, civil society organisations, and media representatives to build momentum for implementation and collaboration.

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