Nigeria will receive $18 million from Canada to support humanitarian and poverty alleviation efforts, according to the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Jamie Christoff.

Christoff announced the funding during a visit to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, in Abuja on Tuesday.

A statement by the minister’s media aide, Rasheed Zubair, said that the Canadian Government had allocated $150 million for various programmes in Nigeria, out of which a small portion was designated for humanitarian responses.

Christoff said that some of the funds will be used to empower vulnerable women and young girls across the country.

He also commended the establishment of the Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund, saying that it will enhance coordination with the government leading the way.

He said, “I am here with my team to express our support to the President’s mandate in his efforts to reduce poverty and address humanitarian crises in Nigeria through your ministry.”

Dr. Edu thanked Christoff for the partnership and assured him of a fruitful collaboration. She also informed him of President Bola Tinubu’s goal to end multi-dimensional poverty and humanitarian crises in Nigeria by 2030, in alignment with the SDG target.

She said that the Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund will be utilized to respond to emergency humanitarian situations and poverty alleviation issues in Nigeria, and promised that the implementation will be transparent.