For Displaced Nigerians in Benue State, Cash Assistance is Saving Lives and Restoring Hope

A cash for protection programme by UNHCR, supported by the Nigerian Humanitarian Fund (NHF), is providing a critical lifeline to families displaced by violence in Benue State — giving them the freedom to meet their most urgent needs and restoring their safety and dignity.

In Benue State, where repeated violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, families returning home face a stark reality: starting over with almost nothing. A cash for protection programme is providing life-saving assistance to some of the most vulnerable households — helping them meet their most urgent needs and restoring safety and dignity after displacement.

Through its Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance programme, UNHCR, in partnership with the Government of Nigeria and humanitarian partners and supported by the Nigerian Humanitarian Fund (NHF), is providing direct financial assistance to vulnerable households in Makurdi and Guma Local Government Areas.

For Stephen Mnguaor, a farmer living with a disability, that question — how to start over with almost nothing — is immediate and practical. When armed attacks forced him to flee Tse Iortim Village, he lost not only his home, but also his ability to earn. Now back in his community, even farming — his main source of income — has become difficult, often requiring him to hire labour he cannot afford.

The targeted cash transfer from UNHCR is helping him begin again. With the support, Stephen plans to use part of the assistance to rebuild his home and provide a safe place for his family to live, small but critical steps toward stabilizing their futures.

His story reflects a wider reality. Nigeria has approximately 3.8 million internally displaced people, with at least 500,000 in Benue State alone — one of the highest concentrations in the country. Many families are attempting to return, but without resources, recovery remains fragile and uncertain.

Why cash matters

Cash assistance is one of the fastest and most effective ways to protect and stabilize displaced families.

Rather than receiving pre-selected items, families decide how best to use the support — whether to pay rent, buy food, access healthcare, or restart livelihoods. That flexibility is critical in a context where needs vary widely from one household to another.

“When people are forced to flee, they lose control over almost everything,” says Arjun Jain, UNHCR Representative in Nigeria. “Cash gives some of that control back — quickly, and in ways no other assistance can.”

Targeting those most at risk

The programme focuses on the most vulnerable, including people with disabilities, single parents, older persons, and female-headed households.

Since April, UNHCR and partners have conducted vulnerability assessments across communities in Benue State. More than 10,000 households have been screened, leading to the identification of nearly 500 highly vulnerable households — representing over 3,000 individuals — eligible for support. Cash disbursements have already begun, with assessments continuing in additional communities. Many more will benefit in the coming months.

Beyond immediate relief, the programme also helps connect displaced families to essential services. During the assessment process, hundreds of individuals who lacked national identification or access to banking were identified and referred to the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), enabling them to obtain the documentation needed to access financial services and other support.

Reducing risks, strengthening safety

Without resources, displaced families often face difficult and sometimes dangerous choices — including withdrawing children from school, engaging in exploitative labour, or resorting to unsafe coping strategies.

By enabling families to meet their basic needs safely, cash assistance helps reduce these risks and creates space for more stable recovery.

For Shinku Ukusuyol, 55, the support has been critical. She fled the same wave of violence that affected Stephen, losing her home and loved ones. In the displacement camp in Makurdi, meeting even basic needs was a daily struggle.

Now back in Tse Iortim Village, she is rebuilding gradually. The cash support has allowed her to buy food and cover essential expenses — restoring a degree of stability after months of uncertainty.

“The support has brought hope back into my life,” she says.

More importantly, it has given her the confidence to stay and rebuild — rather than face continued displacement. For her children, it represents the possibility of growing up in a more stable environment.

Part of a broader protection response

The cash for protection programme is part of a wider NHF-funded effort to strengthen safety and support recovery for displaced populations in Benue State.

Alongside financial assistance, UNHCR and partners are supporting displaced families, strengthening protection monitoring and human rights reporting, improving safety in vulnerable areas through solar street lighting, and helping to decongest overcrowded displacement sites.

Together, these interventions are designed to move families beyond immediate survival and toward longer-term recovery.

For communities like Tse Iortim, recovery remains fragile. But with targeted support — and the freedom to meet their own most urgent needs — families are taking meaningful steps toward rebuilding their lives in safety and dignity.