ABUJA — The European Union has approved €2.3 million in emergency humanitarian funding for Nigeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Chad to strengthen efforts to contain a growing cholera outbreak across West and Central Africa.
The EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS announced the intervention in a statement issued by its Press and Information Officer, Mr. Modestus Chukwulaka, on Monday.
Nigeria will receive €1.5 million, the largest share of the emergency package, to strengthen cholera response measures, including the deployment of additional response teams, provision of treatment kits and improvements in water, sanitation and hygiene services.
The funding will also support the treatment of public and household water facilities, disease surveillance in hard-to-reach areas, case management, risk communication and community awareness campaigns.
The intervention comes as cholera continues to pose a significant public health challenge in Africa. The World Health Organisation reported more than 61,000 cholera cases in the African Region during the first five months of 2026, according to the EU.
How the funding will be distributed
Cameroon will receive €100,000 to strengthen outbreak containment and treatment, including support for humanitarian personnel, medicines, cholera treatment units and oral rehydration points in severely affected communities.
The Central African Republic has been allocated €500,000 to expand cholera case management and vaccination while improving water, sanitation and hygiene services.
The funding will also support disease surveillance, case detection, community engagement, risk communication and safe and dignified burial practices.
Chad will receive €200,000 to help interrupt transmission through improved access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services, as well as stronger community-based surveillance and case management.
EU pledges continued emergency support
EU Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, said the funding was intended to enable humanitarian organisations to respond quickly and protect communities most exposed to the outbreak.
“Cholera is preventable and treatable. Yet it still threatens lives when people lack something as basic as safe water and healthcare,” Lahbib said.
She said the EU would continue supporting emergency responses despite growing humanitarian needs and declining available resources.
Cholera is caused by the Vibrio cholerae bacterium and is primarily transmitted through contaminated food or water. Severe cases can lead to rapid dehydration and shock when treatment is delayed.
The EU said cholera remains uncommon in Europe and that the risk of transmission from imported cases is low.
