Beijing extends helping hand as floods ravage Nigeria

The Red Cross Society of China has donated 1,000 family relief kits to the Nigerian Red Cross Society to support ongoing flood relief efforts across the country.

The handover ceremony, held at the NRCS national headquarters in Abuja, was attended by Zhou Hongyou, minister of the Chinese embassy in Nigeria, and Abubakar Kende, NRCS secretary-general.

Along with the donation, the Chinese government announced $1 million in financial assistance to help rebuild communities devastated by floods.

"China stands ready to work hand in hand with Nigeria to write a new chapter in the China-Nigeria comprehensive strategic partnership," Zhou said at the event on Thursday.

Kende expressed gratitude for the support, noting that it would bring much-needed relief to families that have lost homes and livelihoods.

"We are deeply thankful to the Red Cross Society of China and the Chinese government. Nigeria is willing to deepen cooperation with China to create a brighter future for both countries," he said.

Floods, fueled by heavy rains and worsened by poor drainage, rapid urbanization and climate change, have hit 30 of Nigeria's 36 states this year. Government figures show that more than 1 million people have been affected, 269 lives lost and over 640,000 displaced.

Aid agencies, including the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, are distributing tarpaulins, blankets, mosquito nets and emergency cash assistance to vulnerable families.

However, with supplies running low, humanitarian groups say they can meet less than 10 percent of urgent needs. They also warn of heightened risks of gender-based violence in overcrowded shelters and camps, while separated families — including unaccompanied children — remain in urgent need of protection.