Nigeria is witnessing a troubling surge in the number of Internally Displaced persons (IDPS), with humanitarian agencies warning that the crisis is expanding beyond the traditional conflict zones and placing millions of lives at risk.
Recent data from the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) indicates that over 3.7 million Nigerians are internally displaced.
The March 2026 data show that there is a growing number of Nigerians who are internally displaced.
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Internally Displaced Persons, referred to as IDPs, are people who have been forced to flee their homes by conflict, violence, persecution, or disasters.
These people are provided with settlements known as IDP camps, created to shelter people who have been forced to flee their homes, but remain within Nigeria's borders.
Displacement in Nigeria has grown immensely over the past decades due to recorded cases of banditry, farmer-herder conflicts, political violence, climate and environmental disaster, insurgency, and terrorism.
The most affected states in Nigeria are: Benue, Borno, Zamfara, Adamawa, Katsina, Sokoto, Yobe, Bauchi, Kaduna, Yobo, Taraba, Gombe, Niger, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kano, and Kogi.
States like Borno, Benue, Zamfara, Adamawa, Katsina, and Sokoto have the highest number of displaced persons in Nigeria.
In Borno state, 1.7 million people are internally displaced, Benue 464,543 people; Zamfara 279,224 people; Adamawa 219,016 people; Katsina 206,071 people; Sokoto state has 181,526 people; Yobe state has 162,648 people; Bauchi 141,816 people.
Other states like Kaduna have 115,466; Taraba has 49,833 people; Gombe has 48,184 people; Niger has 45,564 people; Plateau has 45,212 people; Nasarawa has 26,760 people, while Kano has 11,247 people.
The least state with the number of Internally Displaced Persons is Kogi, with 2,511 persons displaced in Nigeria.
However, the UNHCR identified that IDPs are among the most vulnerable people in the world, and many are trapped in protracted displacement for years or even decades.
Many were identified as victims of social and economic issues who often face dangerous conditions and continue to face risks even after fleeing for safety.
The agency added that where most of them settle are often places of refuge that may lack adequate shelter, food, clean water, or health care. Even where such services exist, the sudden influx of people can overwhelm them.
Also, it can be difficult for displaced people to find work, leaving them without an income to support themselves and their families.
Insecurity Fueling Displacement in Nigeria
Insecurity is the primary driver of forced displacement in Nigeria, with over 3.7 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) as of early 2026, living across approximately 3,900 camps and host communities.
The crisis is fueled by a couple of activities, including insurgency, rural banditry, kidnappings, and community conflicts, which have devastated livelihoods and rendered huge areas uninhabitable
However, to help in the reduction and empowerment of internally displaced persons in Nigeria, the World Bank approved some funds to Nigeria.
In August 2025, the World Bank approved the sum of $300 million in financing for the Solutions for the Internally Displaced and Host Communities Project (SOLID).
According to Mathew Verghis, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, the purpose of the project is to ensure the empowerment of IDPs living in Nigeria.
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"We are glad to support this initiative, which has a tremendous potential to help Nigeria in addressing development challenges associated with protracted displacement in a sustainable way."
"The Project's integrated approach, which is aligned with the National IDP Policy and the FGN's long-term development vision, will ensure that IDPs and host communities can transition from dependency on humanitarian assistance to self-reliance and resilience, which will open up better economic opportunities," Verghis said.
Additionally, the SOLID Project is expected to benefit up to 7.4 million people, of whom up to 1.3 million individuals are identified as IDPs.
It will be implemented through a coordinated, community-driven approach involving all tiers of government, with strong partnerships from international stakeholders.
