The European Commission has allocated €2.3 million in emergency humanitarian funding to Nigeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Chad to support efforts to contain ongoing cholera outbreaks across the countries.

The funding comes as cholera continues to pose a significant public health threat in Africa, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) reporting more than 61,000 cases in the African Region during the first five months of 2026.

Nigeria will receive the largest share of the funding, with €1.5 million earmarked to strengthen the country’s response to the outbreak.

According to the European Union, the funds will support an increase in the number of intervention teams, the provision of essential supplies, including cholera kits, and water, sanitation and hygiene interventions.

The intervention will also cover the treatment of public water points and household water, while strengthening epidemiological surveillance in hard-to-reach areas.

The EU said the funding would further support case management, risk communication and community sensitisation to help prevent the spread of the disease.

In Cameroon, €100,000 will be provided to support outbreak containment and case management. The funding will cover additional humanitarian personnel, essential medicines, additional cholera treatment units and oral rehydration points in the worst-affected communities.

The Central African Republic will receive €500,000 to scale up case management and vaccination, alongside water, sanitation and hygiene interventions.

The funding will also strengthen risk communication and community engagement, improve disease surveillance and case detection, and support dignified and safe burials.

Chad will receive €200,000 to help break the chain of cholera transmission by improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene services, while strengthening community support for surveillance and case management.

The EU Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, said cholera remained preventable and treatable but continued to threaten lives where access to safe water and healthcare was limited.

“Cholera is preventable and treatable. Yet it still threatens lives when people lack something as basic as safe water and healthcare,” Lahbib said.

She added that the emergency funding would enable humanitarian partners to respond quickly, contain outbreaks and protect communities most at risk.

Cholera is an acute bacterial infection caused by *Vibrio cholerae*, which is commonly transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food or water. Severe cases can result in rapid loss of body fluids, dehydration and shock if not treated promptly.

The EU noted that cholera is uncommon in Europe and that the risk of transmission from imported cases remains low.