In 2019, the security and humanitarian situation in Nigeria remained fragile and precarious, especially North-East Nigeria. According to the 2019 Global Risk Index, Nigeria ranked the highest in the overall projected risk in socio-economic vulnerability, inequality and food insecurity. Although the presidential and State elections held in March 2019 were largely peaceful (with the incumbent president re-elected), transition at the Federal and State levels, affected the pace of humanitarian activities, especially those that required high level engagements with the Government.
In 2019, the overall humanitarian situation became more complex with escalation of the internal displacement situation in the North-East Nigeria and the Cameroonian refugee situation in South-East Nigeria. In the North-East Nigeria, the insurgency continued with no solution in sight. There was a spike in attacks on civilian and military targets. The number of displaced persons continued to increase. Between January and April 2019, a new surge in insecurity and subversive activities prompted the humanitarian community to develop a 90-day emergency response plan to support the Government in addressing the critical humanitarian needs. Although it was expected that 62,500 Nigeria refugees in neighbouring countries would return in 2019, only 25,077 returns were recorded. Of these, only 134 returned through the organised voluntary repatriation from Cameroon. In North-West Nigeria, what began as a combination of inter-communal clashes, cattle rustling, and armed banditry, morphed up into a low intensity conflict in the States of Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara, with different armed groups driven by a variety of motives. The violence led to the displacement of 210,354 individuals across the three States and forced more than 35,000 refugees to cross the border into the Republic of the Niger.
In 2019, the number of registered Cameroonian refugees increased by 35%, reaching 51,723, by year-end (slightly surpassing the planned figure of 50,000). UNHCR, in close collaboration with State ministries and agencies, continued to consolidate its Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework approach through the strengthening of Government institutions, to deliver services to refugees and host populations. Regarding the Global Compact on Refugees, UNHCR held several consultations with the Nigerian Government authorities, which culminated into pledges aimed at an “all of society approach” in the management of not only refugees, but also the internally displaced persons (IDPs). In addition, UNHCR participated in inter-agency planning frameworks for refugees and IDPs, including the UN Partnership framework (UNDAF) and the Humanitarian Response Plan.