The European Union (EU) has released €2.3 million in emergency humanitarian funding to support cholera response efforts in Nigeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic (CAR) and Chad.
Nigeria received the largest share of the package, with €1.5 million allocated to strengthen surveillance, case management, water and sanitation services, and community-based interventions in areas affected by the outbreak.
The emergency assistance, announced by the European Commission, came amid a worsening cholera situation across Africa, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) reporting more than 61,000 cases in the African Region during the first five months of 2026.
The EU Delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) disclosed the development in a statement signed by its Press and Information Officer, Modestus Chukwulaka.
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According to the EU, the funding is intended to help national authorities and humanitarian partners respond rapidly to outbreaks, particularly in communities where limited access to healthcare, safe drinking water and sanitation facilities continues to fuel transmission.
For Nigeria, the €1.5 million allocation will support the deployment of additional intervention teams and the provision of essential supplies, including cholera kits, as efforts to contain the disease are intensified.
The funding will also strengthen epidemiological surveillance in hard-to-reach areas, improve case management and expand risk communication and community sensitisation.
The EU said part of the assistance would be used for water, sanitation and hygiene interventions, including the treatment of public water points and household water.
It added that the intervention would focus not only on treating infected persons but also on preventing further transmission by addressing conditions that enable the disease to spread.
The support is expected to benefit remote communities where limited access to healthcare and safe water often hampers early detection and outbreak control.
The Central African Republic will receive €500,000 under the emergency package to scale up cholera case management and vaccination, alongside water, sanitation and hygiene interventions.
According to the EU, the allocation will also support disease surveillance, case detection, risk communication and community engagement.
It will further contribute to dignified and safe burials as part of measures aimed at reducing the risk of further transmission during outbreaks.
Chad is to receive €200,000 to improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene services while strengthening surveillance and case management.
The EU said the intervention was designed to help break the chain of cholera transmission, particularly in communities facing inadequate access to essential water and sanitation facilities.
Cameroon will receive €100,000 for outbreak containment and case management.
The assistance will support the deployment of additional personnel, essential medicines, cholera treatment units and oral rehydration points in communities most affected by the outbreak.
The intervention is expected to enhance the capacity of local health authorities to detect cases early and provide timely treatment to patients.
EU Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, said the emergency support demonstrated Europe’s commitment to communities facing humanitarian crises.
“Cholera is preventable and treatable. Yet it still threatens lives when people lack something as basic as safe water and healthcare,” Lahbib said.
She noted that the growing number of humanitarian emergencies, against the backdrop of declining resources, had made international assistance increasingly important.
“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,” she said.
Cholera is a bacterial infection caused by Vibrio cholerae and is mainly transmitted through contaminated food or water.
The disease can cause severe diarrhoea and vomiting, with rapid dehydration and shock occurring in serious cases when treatment is delayed.
The EU said cholera remains uncommon in Europe and that the risk of transmission from imported cases is low.
It added that the latest intervention emphasises both emergency treatment and preventive measures, including surveillance, access to safe water, sanitation, hygiene, vaccination where appropriate and community awareness.
With Nigeria receiving the largest share of the funding, the intervention is expected to reinforce ongoing national and community-level efforts to contain cholera while supporting Cameroon, CAR and Chad in addressing outbreaks and strengthening preparedness against further transmission.
