BREAKING: UN Cuts 20% of Staff Due to $58 Million Funding Shortfall, Affects Nigeria, Nine Other Countries

The United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has listed Nigeria and nine other countries as those to be affected by its decision to cut 20 per cent of its staff due to a funding shortfall amounting to $58 million.

The other nine countries are Cameroon, Colombia, Eritrea, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Gaziantep (in Turkey) and Zimbabwe.

The UN aid chief, Tom Fletcher, revealed this as he briefed staff after OCHA’s largest donor – the United States – cut funding.

“OCHA currently has a workforce of around 2,600 staff in over 60 countries. The funding shortfall means we are looking to regroup to an organisation of around 2,100 staff in fewer locations,” Fletcher wrote in a note to staff, as reported by Reuters.

OCHA works to mobilise aid, share information, support aid efforts, and advocate for those in need during a crisis. It relies heavily on voluntary contributions.

“The US alone has been the largest humanitarian donor for decades, and the biggest contributor to OCHA’s programme budget,” Fletcher said, noting that its annual contribution of $63 million would have accounted for 20 per cent of OCHA’s extra budgetary resources in 2025.

Since returning to office in January for a second term, US President Donald Trump’s administration has slashed billions of dollars in foreign assistance in a review that aimed to ensure programs align with his “America First” foreign policy.

Fletcher said OCHA would “focus more of our resources in the countries where we work,” but would work in fewer places.

“OCHA will scale back our presence and operations in Cameroon, Colombia, Eritrea, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Gaziantep (in Turkey) and Zimbabwe,” Fletcher said.

“As we all know, these exercises are driven by funding cuts announced by Member States and not by a reduction of needs,” he said. “Humanitarian needs are on the rise and have perhaps never been higher, driven by conflicts, climate crises, disease, and the lack of respect for international humanitarian law.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last month announced a new initiative to improve efficiency and cut costs as the world body turns 80 this year amid a funding crisis.