Nearly 64,000 Nigerians have fled to neighbouring Niger Republic since the beginning of 2026 to escape worsening insecurity in northern Nigeria, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has disclosed.

In a briefing issued, the UN refugee agency warned that the increasing influx of displaced Nigerians was worsening an already difficult humanitarian situation in Niger.

According to UNHCR, the violence, involving Islamist militants and armed criminal groups, has forced thousands of families to abandon their homes in search of safety. Several hundred Nigerians have also reportedly crossed into neighbouring Benin Republic.

The agency disclosed that Niger already hosts more than 500,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, including approximately 327,500 Nigerians.

Most of the newly arrived refugees have settled in Diffa, in southeastern Niger, and Tahoua, in the western part of the country. In October alone, about 1,200 people arrived in Diffa, while another 3,400 crossed into Tahoua.

UNHCR said more than 23,000 people, over two-thirds of them children, had arrived in Diffa since the beginning of the year.

The agency expressed concern over the living conditions of displaced families, many of whom are staying in makeshift shelters with limited access to food, clean drinking water, healthcare and education.

It also reported increasing cases of malnutrition, respiratory infections and poor sanitation among the new arrivals. Some women reportedly walk several kilometres daily to obtain water for their families.

UNHCR further revealed that only about five per cent of Nigerian refugees who arrived in Niger this year had been formally registered, leaving many without the documentation required to access humanitarian assistance and essential public services.

The humanitarian situation is also being compounded by insecurity and climate-related challenges in Niger, particularly in Diffa, where more than 70 per cent of the country’s reported security incidents this year have occurred.

To address the growing crisis, UNHCR is seeking $11.4 million to expand humanitarian assistance across Niger, Nigeria and Benin. The appeal includes $2 million for immediate interventions covering food, water, shelter, healthcare, registration and protection.

The agency acknowledged the support of Nigerien authorities and host communities but warned that additional international assistance was urgently needed to prevent thousands of vulnerable displaced families from being left without essential services.

Nearly 64,000 Nigerians have fled to Niger Republic in 2026 because of insecurity, prompting UNHCR to seek $11.4 million in humanitarian assistance.