After collaborating with local stakeholders to address the humanitarian crisis in Borno State caused by Boko Haram insurgency, several international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) are now scaling back their presence and operations in the state,leadership reports.
Some INGOs have begun transitioning services to local partners, reducing their humanitarian activities to basic services. According to sources, many INGOs are shifting focus to the North West region, where banditry, cattle rustling, and kidnapping are causing widespread hardship. Although the exact number of INGOs that have left Borno remains unclear, some of those departing include United Nations agencies and other global institutions.
Security experts and the president of the Borno State Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (BOCCIMA), Alhaji Ahmed Ashemi, attribute the INGOs’ exit to donor fatigue and funding limitations. INGOs have played a significant role during the 14-year insurgency, providing essential support to displaced people and contributing to the local economy. However, Ashemi noted that INGOs’ prolonged presence has sometimes led to negative economic effects, including an inflation of living costs in Maiduguri.
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BOCCIMA’s president highlighted that long-term engagement of ad-hoc personnel could lead to challenges, including shifts in organizational focus and potential inefficiencies. He also noted that certain larger INGOs might be influenced by international political interests, potentially complicating their humanitarian goals.
Barr Ardo Buba, representing the Borno State Board of Internal Revenue Services (BOIRS), recognized the positive economic impact of INGOs, particularly through increased internally-generated revenue (IGR) from employment and facility rentals in the state.
An official from one INGO confirmed that many organizations are redirecting resources to areas in the North West, where the humanitarian need has grown due to increasing violence. This official praised the Borno State government’s efforts in resettling displaced people, which has led to a gradual reduction in the humanitarian crisis in the region.
