This week, the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) grounded operations in Nigeria after running out of funds. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed the suspension of fixed-wing flights, which cut off the only safe lifeline for humanitarian workers and medical supplies in one of the world’s most volatile regions.
“For nine years, the service has transported humanitarian staff, medical supplies and critical cargo to and from the epicenter of the crisis in Borno and Yobe states,” Dujarric explained. “In a country that has experienced unending conflict for the past 16 years, road transport remains extremely dangerous and air transport is essential.”
The price tag to keep UNHAS in the air in the region is modest: just $5.4 million for the next six months. Without this funding — much of which has historically been provided by the U.S. — more than 4,500 aid workers lose access to isolated communities. The World Food Programme warns that 1.3 million people could face cuts to food and nutrition assistance. “The humanitarian response in northeast Nigeria risks being cut off from the very people it is meant to serve,” Dujarric cautioned.
For Americans, the stakes could not be clearer. Nigeria is one of Africa’s largest economies and its most populous country, home to more than 230 million people. It is also a significant U.S. trade partner, with around $13 billion in trade in 2024. Nigerians also represent the continent’s largest diaspora in the U.S., further linking the two countries.
At the same time, Nigeria sits on the frontline of the fight against Boko Haram and a stronghold of ISIS, both of which thrive on exploiting hunger and desperation. When humanitarian air services collapse, it plays into the hands of extremist groups, fueling forced migration, destabilization across the Sahel and conditions that can ultimately lead to costlier U.S. military responses.
UNHAS itself has become indispensable. Often called the “humanitarian airline,” it was created by the World Food Programme in the 1980s to deliver food and personnel into areas cut off by war, disaster or geography. Over the decades, its role has expanded into a global backbone for humanitarian operations. Today, its fleet of planes, helicopters and amphibious vehicles operates in nearly 400 crisis zones worldwide. Last year alone, UNHAS transported 385,000 humanitarian personnel representing 600 organizations and delivered 5,000 metric tons of supplies to communities unreachable by commercial airlines. Every day, some 60 UNHAS aircraft take to the skies. As its chief Franklyn Frimpong put it, “UNHAS exists to bridge the gap between despair and hope.”
The bottom line is this: UNHAS is not charity — it’s strategy. For pennies on the dollar, it keeps aid flowing, humanitarian workers safe and extremists from turning hunger into a recruitment tool. For Congress, this is a clear case of return on investment. A little more than $5 million dollars keeps a region of 230 million people more stable and extremists less empowered, compared to the billions it would cost if instability escalates into a crisis requiring U.S. military intervention.
If lawmakers are serious about preventing crises from metastasizing into global emergencies, keeping UNHAS airborne is critical. It’s a smart, cost-effective investment in regional and global security.
