Humanitarian efforts in northeast Nigeria are set to receive a technological boost after the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) secured new funding to improve digital connectivity for frontline workers in the conflict-torn region.
The Nigeria Humanitarian Fund (NHF) has approved a US$100 000 grant to the ETC, enabling the deployment of Internet and communications services in Dambo and Damboa, two communities in Borno State devastated by more than a decade of insurgency by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Borno, Nigeria’s second-largest state by landmass, remains the epicentre of the crisis that has claimed more than 350 000 lives and displaced over 2 million people since 2009.
The conflict has not only destroyed homes and livelihoods but also decimated critical telecommunications infrastructure, isolating aid workers and communities from reliable networks.
The ETC – a global consortium of humanitarian and technology organisations led by the World Food Programme – plays a vital role in restoring connectivity during emergencies.
By providing shared Internet services, data platforms, and technical expertise, the ETC ensures humanitarian agencies can coordinate effectively, share real-time updates, and deliver aid faster.
“The ETC’s interventions are not simply about Internet access. They are about enabling life-saving operations in one of the world’s most complex humanitarian emergencies,” said Patrick Midy, ETC Coordinator in Nigeria.
“In August alone, ETC provided Internet connectivity to 1 060 users across 118 organisations, including 19 United Nations agencies and 97 non-governmental organisations.
“With this new funding from NHF, the ETC in Nigeria will now be 67.7% funded out of its 2025 US$1.2 million requirement.”
The cluster is increasingly looking at hybrid connectivity solutions, such as VSAT satellite internet, low-earth-orbit constellations, and mobile hotspots, that can withstand attacks on terrestrial infrastructure.
Midy explained that beyond broadband services, ETC is exploring radio as an additional tool.
Talks are underway with the Borno State Emergency Management Authority and Nigeria’s National Broadcasting Commission to secure a frequency license for a planned FM station.
This would allow ETC to broadcast vital humanitarian information to communities cut off from traditional communication channels.
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