The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, has called for stronger local capacity, domestic financing and coordinated action to build a more resilient and sustainable humanitarian response system in Nigeria.
Doro made the call on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 World Humanitarian Day commemoration organised by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction in collaboration with Nigeria Humanitarian Action (NIHA) at the Abuja Continental Hotel.
The event was held with the theme, “Strengthening Global Solidarity and Empowering Local Communities.”
The Minister appreciated humanitarian workers across Nigeria for their dedication and assured them that their services were valued by Nigerians, urging them to remain committed to serving vulnerable populations.
He also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, to ensuring that vulnerable Nigerians receive the support and protection they need.
Doro said the Ministry was committed to developing a humanitarian coordination system that is nationally driven, professionally managed, locally responsive and financially sustainable, with effective collaboration among federal, state and local governments, development partners, civil society organisations, academia, faith-based organisations and the private sector.
He identified the Ministry’s One Humanitarian, One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS) as a key national coordination framework designed to reduce duplication, strengthen institutional collaboration, promote data-driven decision-making and integrate humanitarian assistance with recovery, resilience, social protection and poverty reduction.
The Minister further called for increased investment in the welfare, professional development, remuneration and incentives of humanitarian personnel, stressing that a motivated workforce was essential to an effective humanitarian response system.
According to him, the theme of this year’s World Humanitarian Day is more than a slogan, but an instruction to combine global solidarity with strong local capacity.
“Solidarity without local strength is charity that cannot outlast the crisis that provokes it. Local strength without solidarity is a burden no community should have to carry alone,” he said.
Doro said Nigeria’s responsibility was to welcome international partnerships while simultaneously building communities capable of responding effectively to crises and sustaining their recovery.
He expressed appreciation to the United Nations system, development partners, donors, governments and humanitarian organisations for their continued support to Nigerians, noting that the transition from a predominantly UN-coordinated humanitarian architecture to a government-led system was a strategic investment in Nigeria’s resilience, sovereignty and long-term sustainability.
“The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction stands ready to lead the transition,” he said.
The Minister also called for accelerated implementation of the National Humanitarian Poverty Reduction Trust Fund to provide sustainable domestic financing for humanitarian interventions.
He advocated predictable budgetary allocations, innovative financing mechanisms, greater private-sector participation, philanthropic contributions and stronger partnerships with state governments to strengthen domestic investment in humanitarian action.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya, recalled the origin of World Humanitarian Day, noting that the commemoration was established in memory of humanitarian workers who lost their lives in the August 19, 2003 bombing of the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq.
He noted that 22 people were killed in the attack, including the UN Special Representative for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, adding that the United Nations General Assembly subsequently designated August 19 as World Humanitarian Day, with the first global observance held in 2009.
Olusanya said the Ministry remained committed to strengthening the connection between humanitarian action, poverty reduction, social protection and sustainable development, while ensuring that affected people remained at the centre of interventions.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Board of Nigeria Humanitarian Action, Engr. Morgan Okwoche, appreciated the Ministry for its partnership with NIHA and called for stronger collaboration in advancing humanitarian services across the country.
The event featured goodwill messages from the Federal Commissioner of the Nigerian Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Mr. Aliyu Tijani, as well as representatives of the National Population Commission, Nigeria Police Force and Zamfara State Government.
Other goodwill messages were delivered by the Country Director of International NGOs, Mr. Ndubuisi Anyanwu, and representatives of the ECOWAS Commission, among others.
The celebration also featured musical and cultural performances, including a presentation by OG Abbah Mohammed Abubakar, an internally displaced persons’ star artist, alongside other performances by IDP groups.
The World Humanitarian Day commemoration brought together government officials, humanitarian actors, development partners, civil society organisations and representatives of affected communities to reaffirm commitment to strengthening humanitarian action in Nigeria.
