By Angela Atabo/Justin’s Auta
Save the Children Nigeria has called for stronger partnerships, locally led solutions and innovative humanitarian responses to improve food security and protect vulnerable populations across the country.
The Country Director of Save the Children Nigeria, Mr Duncan Harvey, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the opening of Humanitarian Xchange (HX) Abuja 2026.
The event was organised by the Humanitarian Leadership Academy (HLA) in collaboration with Save the Children Nigeria to strengthen collaboration and innovation in humanitarian response.
The two-day event, themed “Strengthening Local Voices, Partnerships, and Innovation in Humanitarian Response,” brought together humanitarian organisations, government agencies, donors, development partners, academia and private-sector stakeholders.
Harvey said the latest Cadre Harmonisé analysis projected that 36.2 million people across 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory could face acute food and nutrition insecurity during the 2026 lean season, underscoring the need for coordinated action.
According to him, children and mothers remain among the most vulnerable groups, making investments in nutrition, healthcare and community resilience more important than ever.
He noted that rising food prices, limited access to healthcare, conflict, displacement and climate-related shocks continue to place pressure on households and communities.
Harvey, however, expressed confidence that stronger collaboration among humanitarian actors would improve resource utilisation, strengthen local leadership and ensure assistance reached those who needed it most.
He said Save the Children was partnering with HLA to promote locally led humanitarian action and strengthen emergency response systems capable of delivering sustainable impact.
The country director urged stakeholders to use the conference to deepen partnerships and develop practical solutions that would help communities better withstand future shocks.
“The challenges before us are significant, but so too is our collective capacity to respond. Together, we can protect children, support mothers, strengthen communities and build a more resilient future for Nigerian children,” he said.
Also speaking, Senior Lead, Humanitarian Leadership and Response at HLA, Mr Huseyin Arslan, said the conference would provide a platform for meaningful dialogue on advocacy, innovation, technology, financing, youth engagement and community-driven solutions.
Arslan said the discussions would help identify sustainable and locally led approaches to addressing humanitarian challenges while strengthening the capacity of frontline responders.
He said that Nigeria remained home to one of the world’s most active humanitarian communities and was the second-largest user of KayaConnect, HLA’s digital learning platform.
According to him, the platform has helped strengthen humanitarian capacity through free, context-specific learning opportunities for responders across the country and beyond.
Also speaking, Deputy Director of Save the Children Nigeria, Mr Badar Musa, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable children and communities through humanitarian and development programmes implemented across 24 states and the FCT.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Abiemwense Moru