Niamey, Niger, 6 July 2026 — The International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the European Union are renewing their partnership in Niger's Tillabéri region, after the first phase of the project delivered strong results. That project has helped local authorities, civil society groups and communities get better at anticipating, preparing for, and responding to humanitarian crises and population movements linked to insecurity, forced displacement, climate shocks, and natural disasters.
"Communities in Tillabéri have endured years of violence, displacement, climate shocks, and recurrent humanitarian crises,” said Melody Munz, Country Director of IRC Niger. “In less than a decade, this region has become one of the epicentres of insecurity in the Central Sahel, placing immense pressure on families, local authorities, and essential services.
Despite these challenges, communities have demonstrated remarkable resilience.
With the support of the European Union and by investing in local leadership and preparedness, we are helping ensure that communities are better equipped to protect lives and recover from future shocks."
Building on the achievements of previous initiatives in the region, the IRC, in consortium with the Danish Refugee Council and Concern, reached more than 786,000 people over the course of the two-year programme, which has run from July 2024 until June 2026. In particular, the consortium supported local actors in the departments of Abala, Balleyara, Filingué, Kollo Téra and Torodi to assess existing systems, reinforce community-based mechanisms, and improve coordination between authorities, civil society organizations, and humanitarian partners.
As a result, targeted local structures are now better equipped to mobilize technical and operational resources to respond to emergencies and support vulnerable populations affected by displacement and other shocks.
The Tillabery region has the highest number of internally displaced people and accounts for 45% of all internally displaced people in Niger. In April 2026, 335,000 internally displaced people were living in the region, up from 224,000 in July 2024 at the start of the project, continuing to place additional pressure on already stretched local systems and essential services.
In parallel, the programme delivered critical health, nutrition, and protection services to communities across the region, and strengthened humanitarian coordination at the local level and laid the foundation for more sustainable, locally led emergency preparedness and response mechanisms across Tillabéri.
Due to this programme’s success and thanks to the continued support of the EU's Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid, the IRC will be able to continue its critical work in Niger’s Tillabéri region. This new phase will extend life-saving health, nutrition, and protection services to vulnerable populations, further strengthen local response mechanisms, and ensure communities are better prepared to withstand future shocks from insecurity, displacement, and climate change.
About the IRC in Niger:
The IRC first began assisting Nigeriens in 2013, providing emergency and protection assistance to refugees and returning Nigeriens. Today, the IRC is one of the largest humanitarian organisations in the country. With support from the European Union, the IRC provides assistance to Nigeriens through programming that includes cash distribution, health care and malnutrition support, educational empowerment and protection services.
About EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid:
The European Union and its Member States are among the world’s leading donors of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by disasters and human-induced crises.
The International Rescue Committee partners with the European Union to provide life-saving support to people caught in conflict and disasters around the world. Our work funded by the EU enables people to survive, recover and rebuild their lives.