The United Nations Children’s Fund has estimated that Nigeria lost about $10bn to the decade-long conflict in the North-East.
UNICEF Country Representative, Wafaa Saeed, disclosed this in Maiduguri on Wednesday during the formal launch of a socio-economic reintegration programme for children affected by armed conflict.
Represented by UNICEF Child Protection Manager, Shah Mohammad Khan, Saeed said the prolonged insurgency had not only shrunk the national economy but also devastated personal incomes and the earning power of families and young people in the region.
She said, “According to a 2024 study commissioned by UNICEF, the economic cost of conflict in North-East Nigeria has cost the country a staggering $10bn over the last 10 years.