By Tracy Moses
The European Union (EU) has approved €2.3 million in emergency humanitarian assistance to Nigeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic (CAR) and Chad to strengthen efforts to contain the growing cholera outbreak across West and Central Africa.
Nigeria will receive the largest share of the funding—€1.5 million—to reinforce its cholera response, strengthen disease surveillance and improve access to treatment, safe water, sanitation and hygiene services in affected communities.
The EU Delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday by its Press and Information Officer, Modestus Chukwulaka.
The intervention comes amid a rising cholera burden across the African region. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported more than 61,000 cholera cases across the region during the first five months of 2026, underscoring the continued pressure on health systems and the need for rapid and coordinated responses.
According to the EU, the funding allocated to Nigeria will support the deployment of additional response teams, the provision of cholera treatment kits and the strengthening of water, sanitation and hygiene measures.
The intervention will also support the treatment of public water facilities and household water supplies, improve disease surveillance in hard-to-reach locations, and strengthen case management, risk communication and community awareness.
The EU said the measures were designed to improve early detection and treatment while reducing the risk of further transmission, particularly in communities where access to healthcare, clean water and adequate sanitation remains limited.
Support for Cameroon, CAR and Chad
Cameroon will receive €100,000 to strengthen outbreak containment efforts and provide treatment for affected persons.
The funding will support additional humanitarian personnel, medicines, cholera treatment units and oral rehydration points in severely affected communities.
The Central African Republic has been allocated €500,000 to expand cholera case management and vaccination while improving water, sanitation and hygiene services.
The funding will also strengthen disease surveillance and case detection, community engagement and risk communication, as well as support dignified and safe burial practices.
Chad will receive €200,000 to help interrupt transmission by improving access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services, while strengthening community-based surveillance and case management.
Commenting on the intervention, EU Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, said the latest support was aimed at enabling humanitarian organisations to respond rapidly to the outbreak and protect communities most at risk.
“Cholera is preventable and treatable. Yet it still threatens lives when people lack something as basic as safe water and healthcare,” Lahbib said.
She added that the EU would continue supporting emergency responses despite growing humanitarian needs and shrinking resources.
Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae and is primarily transmitted through contaminated food or water. Although the disease is preventable and treatable, severe infections can cause rapid dehydration, shock and death if treatment is delayed.
The EU said cholera remains uncommon in Europe and that the risk of transmission from imported cases is low.
The latest funding package underscores the importance of combining emergency treatment with sustained investment in clean water, sanitation, disease surveillance and community awareness, particularly in communities vulnerable to recurring outbreaks.