The Government of Japan has donated food items worth 853,000 dollars to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to boost humanitarian assistance in North-East Nigeria.

The WFP Nigeria Programme Policy Officer, Itaru Furuta, in a statement issued by the organisation on Monday, commended Japan’s support, saying it came at a critical moment.

She said that the gesture was meant to provide critical food assistance to the most vulnerable people in Northeast Nigeria.

According to her, with millions of people in Northern Nigeria facing unprecedented levels of hunger, offering much-needed assistance to families struggling to survive is timely.

Furuta said, “We do not take this support for granted and call on other donors to join our mission to save the lives of the most vulnerable.

“Despite escalating insecurity, WFP continues its frontline emergency response efforts, delivering critical humanitarian interventions to communities most affected by conflict, displacement, and climate shocks.

“As the world’s largest humanitarian organisation, WFP plays a pivotal role in stabilising vulnerable populations through food assistance, supporting recovery, and fostering pathways toward peace, resilience, and long-term prosperity.”

The programme officer noted that for the past 10 years, operations have been sustained across Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, where insecurity and environmental pressures have severely disrupted food systems, market access, and livelihoods.

She added that food insecurity was not just a humanitarian issue.

“When people are left without support, the consequences go far beyond hunger.

“It affects stability and security and increases the risk of people being forced to move or even being drawn into armed groups.

“Humanitarian assistance, especially food assistance, and WFP’s impact on local markets have been critical factors in helping to stabilise communities.

“At a time when needs are increasing, we cannot afford to scale back,” Furuta said.

The programme officer said that insecurity had contributed to the displacement of people and disruption of livelihoods in North-East Nigeria.

She said that many people were unable to farm and now rely almost entirely on humanitarian assistance.

Furuta identified lingering conflict and insecurity, as well as rising fuel and essential commodity prices, as factors that not only make it difficult for people to meet growing needs, but also leave many families struggling to have even one full meal a day.

She cited the ordeal of a 30-year-old mother of four and a widow from Borno, saying the conflict in the North-East was deeply personal.

“After years of displacement and loss, the support she received from WFP is helping her to care for her children and rebuild their lives.

“This food assistance is a lifeline for my children and me,” Futura quoted the woman as saying.