Paper short abstract:

This paper utilises Nigeria as its case study to explore key humanitarian concepts, including aid localisation, decolonisation, and partnership. The relations between international and home-grown Nigerian aid actors, and what this means for African humanitarianism is considered in depth.

Paper long abstract:

This research paper will explore the role of international and home-grown Nigerian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Borno, Nigeria, operating in response to the terrorist group Boko Haram’s insurgency. Having personally worked in the aid sector and conducted field research in north-east Nigeria on numerous occasions, this paper is rich in evidence-based arguments.

The paper utilises Nigeria as its prominent contemporary case study to explore key concepts, including aid localisation, decolonisation, and partnership. From it, it is evident that while aid localisation in the humanitarian sector has made gains in Nigeria today compared to previous decades in other regions of the world, this localisation has largely meant the integration of home-grown actors into processes that remain internationally led. In this sense partnerships can be referred to as “donorships”. From Nigeria, it is clear that despite some progress in genuine aid localisation, the fundamental nature of international aid being donor-driven remains unchanged. Nonetheless, the activities of home-grown actors operating outside the international aid sector will also be considered and compared.

Finally, in order to shift the perception of Africa from merely helpless aid receivers, this paper highlights the agency of African voices by not only exploring home-grown Nigerian NGOs and other locally-led initiatives/groups, but also the perceptions of everyday Nigerians from Borno themselves. The findings will explore how community residents are equally grateful for and suspicious of international aid actors. This is in large part due to the principle of neutrality as practiced by international actors in the region, exposing its shortcomings.