The National President of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Prince Oluyemisi Adeaga, has called for stronger collaboration among humanitarian organisations, governments, and communities to address humanitarian challenges across Nigeria. He made the call on Friday during the 2026 World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day celebration in Abuja, held under the theme “United in Humanity.”
Adeaga emphasised that volunteers remain central to the society’s humanitarian activities, noting that the organisation would continue reaching vulnerable communities without expecting payment. The event featured a roadshow walk from Bolien House/Sip & Style to the Nigerian Red Cross Society’s new office complex in Gwarimpa.
Speaking at the event, Adeaga said the celebration marked the birth of Henry Dunant, founder of the Red Cross Movement, and commemorated the establishment of organised humanitarian service globally. He stressed that humanitarian work cannot be done by a single organisation or individual. “Humanitarian services cannot be done alone by a single organisation or individual; it has to be collaborative,” he said.
Adeaga explained that some organisations have expertise in certain areas, others have funds but lack the society’s specialisation, and some have both but insufficient resources. “There has to be collaboration. When you talk of humanitarian services, it spans all spheres of life. Everybody can be vulnerable at any point in time. So we need all of us to be aware, conscious, and have one measure of ability or another to relieve suffering,” he added.
He defended the Red Cross’s neutral humanitarian principles, stating that the organisation prioritises assistance to vulnerable persons regardless of affiliations. “We will carry out all the tasks of going out to the communities, volunteering without pay and ensuring that we bring hope to those in need wherever they may be,” Adeaga said.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, FCT Branch, Rhoda Samande, said the organisation had intensified grassroots humanitarian programmes across communities in the Federal Capital Territory. “We have a lot of programmes that we put in place and we reach out to the real grassroots. We go out there to train grassroots people on how to carry out first aid in their localities and how to disseminate the training we hold for them so that they can impact the lives of people around them,” she said.
Samande explained that the branch runs women-focused initiatives and sensitisation programmes against child abuse and violations involving youth and girls. She disclosed that the organisation continues to support internally displaced persons in camps across the FCT through food distribution and other relief interventions.
The Head of Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Doris El Doueihy, said the celebration was dedicated to honouring Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers globally. She noted that humanitarian needs are increasing globally despite shrinking funding support. “Humanitarian needs are huge today, more than ever. Humanitarian funds are shrinking around the world, so the humanitarian needs are huge everywhere, including in Nigeria,” she said.
She added that the movement currently provides emergency response services, food and non-food assistance, water, shelter, psychosocial support, malnutrition interventions, and support for displaced persons affected by conflict and disasters across Nigeria. “Our response goes from emergency response, food, non-food items, water, shelters, all the way to psychosocial support and weapon-contamination awareness,” she added.
The Head of Delegation for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Nigeria, Dr. Awan Muhammad, said the Red Cross Movement currently responds to humanitarian emergencies across 33 states in Nigeria. “We are responding to all natural and man-made disasters. From the northern states to all other states, 33 states, we are responding in displacement, health, shelter, WASH, food items, non-food items, food insecurity and livelihoods,” he said.
Muhammad added that the movement would continue to support humanitarian interventions in Nigeria. “We are speaking as a movement today. We commit that we will continue our support as we have been doing until now and beyond,” he said.
