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The European Commission has announced €2.3 million in emergency humanitarian funding for Nigeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Chad to curb the cholera outbreak.
This was disclosed in a statement today, Monday, 17 August 2026, issued by Mr Modestus Chukwulaka, Press and Information Officer at the EU delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS.
According to the World Health Organisation, more than 61,000 cholera cases were reported in the African Region in the first 5 months of 2026.
Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The infection spreads most commonly when people consume contaminated water. In severe cases, rapid loss of body fluids can quickly lead to dehydration and shock. Cholera is not a common problem in Europe, and the risk of spread from imported cases is low.
The breakdown of the support, according to the statement, will see Nigeria receiving €1.5 million.
The support, the statement said, is to help increase the number of intervention teams, provide essential supplies such as cholera kits, and support water, sanitation and hygiene interventions, including the treatment of public water points and household water.
“It will also help intensify epidemiological surveillance in inaccessible areas and strengthen case management, risk communication and community sensitisation,” it added.
The EU allocated €100,000 to Cameroon to support outbreak containment and case management, including additional staff for humanitarian partners on the ground, essential medicines, additional cholera treatment units and oral rehydration points in the most affected villages.
In the Central African Republic, €500,000 will scale up case management and vaccination, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene interventions. It will also strengthen risk communication and community engagement, boost surveillance and case detection, and support dignified and safe burials.
In Chad, €200,000 will help break the chain of cholera transmission through improved access to water, sanitation, hygiene, and community support for surveillance and case management.
Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, said the support was meant to help contain the outbreaks and protect the communities most at risk.
He said, “Cholera is preventable and treatable. Yet it still threatens lives when people lack something as basic as safe water and healthcare. At a time when humanitarian needs are growing, and resources are shrinking, Europe is not looking away. This emergency funding will help our partners act quickly, contain the outbreaks and protect the communities most at risk.”
