UNHCR and TGI Partner to Create 10,000 Jobs for Displaced Nigerians

The UNHCR and TGI Group have inaugurated a three‑year partnership aimed at supporting more than 5,000 farmers and generating over 10,000 jobs in Benue and Cross River States.

The initiative is being carried out via TGI’s agribusiness subsidiary, WACOT Limited, a prominent food and agro‑allied firm that has operated for more than 25 years across Nigeria’s agricultural value chains. It focuses on refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and host communities, with an anticipated benefit to 25,000–35,000 people.

Farmers in vulnerable communities throughout Benue and Cross River States will be provided with enhanced inputs, technical training, certification, and organized market access for rice, maize, sesame, soy, and cocoa value chains.

This initiative follows UNHCR’s latest Global Trends report, which states that 117.8 million people remain forcibly displaced worldwide—equivalent to one in every 70 people on the planet. Nigeria alone hosts more than 3.8 million forcibly displaced individuals, and Nigerians represent 3.5 % of the global forcibly displaced population.

“This partnership is about moving from aid to opportunity,” said Arjun Jain, UNHCR Representative in Nigeria. “TGI and UNHCR are connecting displaced people to jobs, skills, and markets so they can rebuild their lives with dignity and contribute to the economy. We are immensely grateful to TGI for their vision and leadership in this regard.”

Habiba Sulaiman of TGI Group said the company is committed to inclusive growth: “This partnership strengthens our supply chains while creating real economic opportunities for communities affected by displacement.”

Work has already started, with government and community consultations and soil sampling completed. The agreement builds on a 2024 partnership between UNHCR and TGI and signals a move toward market‑driven solutions that lessen dependency and promote economic inclusion.