The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has announced a major downsizing, with plans to cut 20% of its global workforce due to a staggering $58 million funding shortfall. Nigeria is among ten countries where operations will be scaled back.
The reduction follows a significant cut in funding from OCHA’s largest donor—the United States. In a note to staff obtained by Reuters, U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher confirmed that the organization would shrink from 2,600 personnel in over 60 countries to roughly 2,100 staff operating in fewer locations.
“The U.S. alone has been the largest humanitarian donor for decades,” Fletcher said, explaining that its annual $63 million contribution accounted for one-fifth of OCHA’s projected 2025 extrabudgetary budget. The shortfall, he added, is not due to reduced global needs, but to shifting donor priorities.
Since returning to office in January, U.S. President Donald Trump has implemented sweeping cuts to foreign aid in line with his administration’s “America First” agenda. Billions in international assistance have been withdrawn as part of a policy realignment.
As a result, OCHA will reduce or phase out its presence in Cameroon, Colombia, Eritrea, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, and Gaziantep in Turkey.
“Humanitarian needs are on the rise and have perhaps never been higher,” Fletcher warned. “This is driven by conflicts, climate change, disease outbreaks, and widespread disregard for international humanitarian law.”
Despite the cuts, Fletcher assured that OCHA would concentrate resources more effectively in fewer locations, prioritizing areas with the greatest need.
The restructuring comes amid a broader reform initiative led by U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, who last month launched a cost-cutting drive to boost efficiency as the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary while grappling with a global cash crunch.
