Oluwafunbi Bello 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The United Nations sharply cuts its 2026 humanitarian appeal to $23 billion, less than half of the funding experts say is required, as a deepening global donor crisis threatens life-saving aid for millions.
In a statement released Monday, the UN warns that the reduced appeal will exclude tens of millions of people as agencies are forced to prioritise only those facing the most immediate risk of death.
UN data shows that by November, just $12 billions of this year’s humanitarian requirements had been funded — the lowest level in a decade — covering barely a quarter of global needs.
The 2026 plan identifies 87 million people in immediate danger, though the UN estimates 250 million people worldwide urgently require assistance. Even with the reduced appeal, the organisation aims to assist 135 million people, a goal that would normally require $33 billion.
“It’s the cuts that are forcing us into brutal choices,” UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher tells reporters. “We are overstretched, underfunded, and under attack. There is simply not enough water in the tank.”
The largest single appeal, $4 billion, targets the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly Gaza, where nearly the entire population of 2.3 million has been displaced by war.
The UN relies almost entirely on voluntary funding, primarily from Western governments. While the United States remains the largest donor, its share has fallen significantly, compounding pressure on humanitarian operations amid rising global instability.
Aid agencies warn that without urgent donor action, essential food, health and protection services will be denied to millions in 2026.
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Otamere Gladness 
Oluwatobi Adu 