Nigeria faces multiple crises, with a protracted conflict in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) states, which has spread to neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger, intercommunal clashes in the northwest that have led to over 40,000 people crossing the border with Niger for safety, and climate shocks such as drought and floods. Nigeria also hosts about 50,000 Cameroonian refugees in the west and faces a widespread farmers/herders crisis in its middle belt region. According to the Global Risk Index INFORM, Nigeria today is amongst the countries with the highest overall projected conflict risk index and increased risk in socio-economic vulnerability, inequality, and food insecurity in 2019. In the absence of a viable peace and reconciliation process, the most likely scenario for 2020 is that the situation in north-east Nigeria’s Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) states that have suffered from ten years of conflict remains static at best, and a deteriorating security environment at worst, as seen in 2019.

Child protection services, augmented by cross-sectoral support services, will aim at achieving three main objectives:1) girls and boys facing protection risks have access to comprehensive case management services;2) conflict-affected children, adolescents and caregivers’ wellbeing is enhanced through provision of quality mental health and psychosocial support services and information on child care and protection; and 3) conflict-affected boys, girls and young people, including those affected by grave child rights violations, benefit from community-based reintegration services.

Prevention and response priorities will focus on vulnerable children,their caregivers and communities amongst IDPs, returnee and host-communities most affected by the conflict, and based on the level of needs, vulnerabilities and coping mechanisms. Girls and boys between the age of 6 to 17 years, including adolescents, form 28 per cent and 25 per cent of the estimated population in need of child protection services respectively.