Nearly 64,000 Nigerians Flee To Niger Republic Over Insecurity In 2026 – UNHCR

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Nearly 64,000 Nigerians have fled to the Niger Republic in 2026 to escape insecurity, while hundreds of others have reportedly sought refuge in neighbouring Benin Republic, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Dominique Hyde, UNHCR spokesperson, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, attributing the movement of people to worsening attacks by Islamist militants and armed gangs.

Hyde said the influx was placing additional pressure on Niger, one of the world’s poorest countries, which already hosts more than 500,000 refugees and asylum-seekers. At least 327,500 of them are Nigerians.

“Thousands of newly arrived refugees, many of them children, are struggling to survive with limited access to food, clean water, shelter and essential services, as humanitarian resources fall critically short,” the statement said.

Most of the new arrivals have settled in the border regions of Diffa and Tahoua. Reuters reported that more than 23,000 people, over two-thirds of them children, had arrived in Diffa alone since the beginning of the year.

The UNHCR spokesperson said many displaced families were living in makeshift shelters, while women often travelled several kilometres daily to obtain water.

Aid agencies have also reported increasing cases of malnutrition, respiratory infections and poor sanitation among the new arrivals.

The humanitarian situation has been further complicated by difficulties with refugee registration. Only about five per cent of Nigerians who arrived in Niger this year have been formally registered, leaving many without the documents required to access assistance and public services.

Hyde also identified insecurity and climate-related challenges as factors worsening humanitarian needs. She disclosed that more than 70 per cent of reported security incidents in Niger this year occurred in the Diffa region.

UNHCR is seeking $11.4 million to expand its humanitarian response across Niger, Nigeria and Benin. The agency warned that thousands of displaced families could be left without essential assistance if additional funding is not secured.