The number of internally-displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria’s North-West region rose sharply by 143,189 within six months, highlighting the worsening humanitarian impact of insecurity across the zone.
Latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) indicate that the region’s displaced population increased from 650,345 in December 2025 to 793,534 in May 2026, representing a 22% rise.
The data, contained in the UNHCR Nigeria Forcibly Displaced Populations Dashboard published in late May 2026, attributes the surge largely to escalating violence and displacement in Sokoto and Zamfara states.
Compiled jointly by the UNHCR and the Federal Government through the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, the dashboard draws from registration records, biometric enrolment exercises and field assessments. Other contributors include the Nigeria Immigration Service, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Displacement Tracking Matrix.
Sokoto recorded the most dramatic increase in displacement. The state’s IDP population jumped from 88,562 in February 2026 to 181,526 in March, reflecting an increase of 92,964 people or 105 per cent.
Zamfara, another state heavily affected by bandit attacks, witnessed an increase of 74,648 displaced persons during the review period, with its IDP population rising from 204,576 to 279,224, representing a 36.5 per cent increase. Combined, Sokoto and Zamfara accounted for the largest share of the increase in displacement across the North-West.
Nationally, the UNHCR reported that Nigeria had 3,711,314 internally displaced persons as of May 2026, accounting for approximately 3.5 per cent of the estimated 117 million forcibly displaced people worldwide.
The report noted that persistent banditry and communal violence across Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states have continued to disrupt farming activities, trade and access to social services, forcing nearly 1.4 million people from their homes. About 80 per cent of those displaced are currently living within host communities.
Despite the regional increase, Katsina State recorded a decline in its displaced population. The number of IDPs in the state dropped from 235,898 to 206,071, reflecting a reduction of 29,827 persons or 12.6 per cent. Kaduna State, however, recorded a modest increase, with its displaced population rising from 110,813 to 115,466, an addition of 4,653 persons.
Security experts have linked the growing humanitarian crisis to escalating attacks by bandits and insurgent groups in the region. By February 2025, more than 580,000 people, mostly women and children, had reportedly fled their homes in Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara states due to persistent violence.
A wider assessment covering the first two years of President Bola Tinubu’s administration showed that no fewer than 10,217 people lost their lives in attacks across Benue, Edo, Katsina, Kebbi, Plateau, Sokoto and Zamfara states.
Amid the growing crisis, the Federal Government and development partners have stepped up efforts to address displacement challenges. On February 16, 2026, the North-West Governors’ Forum, with technical support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), launched state-level implementation of the National Policy on Internally-Displaced Persons, and action plans on durable solutions in Katsina and Zamfara states.
The IOM has also expanded its humanitarian operations beyond the North-East to cover parts of the North-West, particularly Katsina and Zamfara, in a bid to provide assistance in underserved communities.
Efforts to obtain official reaction from the Presidency were unsuccessful, as the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, did not respond to calls or text messages sent to his phone.
