The Nigerian government is launching broader mental health programmes for children impacted by insurgency, with studies revealing widespread trauma and psychological harm among displaced youth.
Nigeria’s government is moving to widen mental health support for children harmed by conflict, after officials said studies show severe and lasting psychological damage among young people exposed to insurgency and displacement. At a policy dialogue in Borno state, Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Minister Bernard Doro said the figures point to a crisis that goes well beyond immediate survival needs and must be treated as part of the country’s wider humanitarian response.
The ministry said research cited at the meeting found that 41.5 per cent of children exposed to the Boko Haram insurgency in Chibok met the clinical threshold for post-traumatic stress disorder. It also pointed to a separate national study in which 79.7 per cent of displaced Nigerian children were recorded as having PTSD, 84.8 per cent depression and 90.7 per cent functional impairment. Those findings echo wider research on war-affected children, which has repeatedly linked armed conflict and forced displacement to anxiety, depression, PTSD and behaviour problems.
According to a statement from the ministry, Doro said the administration is seeking to build stronger links between humanitarian aid, social protection and poverty relief through the One Humanitarian, One Poverty Response System. He said that approach is intended to help identify vulnerable children earlier and connect them to the right services, including trauma support and referral pathways into the health system.
Doro also said teachers and frontline aid workers should be trained to recognise distress in children, arguing that schools can be a crucial point of contact for spotting trauma. The ministry said it will work with relevant institutions to carry out the outcomes of the dialogue, with Doro warning that untreated childhood trauma carries long-term costs for education, public health and security.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
