Nearly 64,000 Nigerians have fled their communities and sought refuge in neighbouring Niger Republic since January 2026, following escalating attacks by Islamist militants and armed criminal groups, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has said.
The UN refugee agency raised the alarm in a briefing issued on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, warning that the increasing influx was worsening the humanitarian crisis in Niger, which currently hosts more than 500,000 refugees and asylum-seekers.
UNHCR disclosed that about 327,500 Nigerians are already taking refuge in the country, while hundreds of others have reportedly crossed into neighbouring Benin Republic to escape persistent violence in northern Nigeria.
The agency's Director of External Relations, Dominique Hyde, said most of the recent arrivals had settled in the border regions of Diffa, in southeastern Niger, and Tahoua, in the western part of the country.
According to the agency, approximately 1,200 Nigerians crossed into Diffa in October, while another 3,400 arrived in Tahoua within the same period.
It added that more than 23,000 people, over two-thirds of them children, had arrived in Diffa since the beginning of the year.
The refugee agency expressed concern over the deteriorating living conditions of the displaced population, noting that many families were surviving in makeshift shelters with limited access to food, safe drinking water, healthcare and other basic necessities.
It reported that some women had to trek several kilometres each day in search of water for their households, while humanitarian organisations were recording increasing cases of malnutrition, respiratory infections and poor sanitation among the displaced communities.
UNHCR also identified inadequate registration as a major challenge, revealing that only about five per cent of Nigerians who arrived in Niger this year had been formally documented.
It warned that the lack of proper registration was preventing thousands of displaced persons from accessing humanitarian support and essential public services.
The crisis is further compounded by security threats and climate-related difficulties in Niger, particularly in the Diffa region, which has accounted for more than 70 per cent of reported security incidents in the country this year.
Despite the mounting pressure on humanitarian resources, UNHCR commended the Nigerien authorities and host communities for supporting the displaced population, including through the provision of land for temporary shelters.
However, the agency called for increased international support, appealing for $11.4 million to strengthen humanitarian operations across Niger, Nigeria and Benin.
Of the amount, $2 million is earmarked for urgent interventions, including the provision of food, water, shelter and healthcare, as well as refugee registration and protection services.
UNHCR warned that failure to secure additional funding could leave thousands of vulnerable families who fled violence without access to essential humanitarian assistance.
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