Nigeria — North-east — Displacement Report 41 (June 2022)

This report, which presents the results from Round 41 of Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) assessments carried out by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), aims to improve the understanding of the scope of internal displacement and return movements in north-east Nigeria. The report covers the period from 14 February to 30 March 2022 and reflects the trends from the six states in Nigeria’s north-east geopolitical zone. This zone is the most affected by the conflict and consists of the following states: Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe.

In Round 41, a total of 2,197,824 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were identified in 452,219 households. This signified an increase of 1 per cent (or 26,172 individuals) compared to Round 40 when 2,171,652 IDPs were recorded (March 2022). When considering the number of IDP individuals in the past 12 months, the number of IDPs in north-east Nigeria has increased by less than one per cent or 6,631 individuals.  

However, since the increase in hostilities around October 2018 (Round 25), the LGAs Kukawa, Kala/Balge and Guzamala in Borno State have been largely inaccessible for humanitarian actors. Given that the number of IDPs has increased since Round 25 despite low levels of accessibility, it is likely that the actual displacement figures are considerably higher.

During Round 41, IDP assessments were conducted in 2,365 locations across the six states of north-east Nigeria. The assessed locations included 290 camps and camp-like settlements and 2,075 locations where internally displaced persons lived among host communities. The purpose was to better understand the dynamics and trends of displacement in the conflict-affected region. 

Furthermore, 1,983,130 returnees were recorded in the Round 41 assessment. This number represents an increase of 22,572 individuals or more than one per cent compared to Round 40 when 1,960,558 returnees were recorded in (March 2022). When comparing the number of returnee individuals between Round 41 and Round 37 (1,753,484 returnees accessed in May 2021), the number of returnees in north-east Nigeria increased by 13 per cent or 229,646 individuals. While IDP numbers also slightly increased during the past year, it can be concluded that there is a clear trend toward a return to locations of origin in the BAY states (Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.)