In the displacement settlements of Borno State, a new kind of resilience is taking root. Falamta Bukar Modusulumori, a 42-year-old widow supporting her six children, and Bintu Modu, a 36-year-old mother of five children, are not waiting for hand-outs. Instead, they are building businesses.
Both women weave and sell traditional Hausa caps (Huwa), Kanuri caps (Zawa) and Turaren Wuta, a traditional incense made from sandalwood and local shrubs.
Speaking exclusively to BusinessDay in Hausa through an interpreter, they recount how they survive on the business whose seed capital was made possible by UNHCR.
Their products include locally made aromatic fragrances with prices ranging from N3000 to N20,000, while a single hand-woven cap costs as much as N70,000. Their story marks a major shift in Nigeria’s humanitarian landscape: moving from providing emergency aid to creating real economic agency for the 2.3 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) across the country.
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Partnerships
The Nigerian government has called for deeper collaboration between public authorities, the private sector and international partners to ensure that business investments in communities hosting internally displaced persons (IDPs) are both secure and sustainable.
Speaking on the sidelines of a stakeholder engagement titled: Securing Futures- Private Sector Conference hosted by the federal government of Nigeria, United Nations (UN), UK International Development and TGI Group, Christopher Gwanbin Musa, a retired general and former minister of defence, said meaningful progress could only be achieved through a broad-based partnership.
“Partnership, partnership, partnership,” Musa said when asked what signal the government must send to private investors. He stressed that responsibility could not rest with the federal government alone, but must involve state and local authorities, host communities, non-governmental organisations, humanitarian actors and international bodies, including the UN.
According to him, a coordinated approach is essential to ensure that displaced persons are adequately supported and prepared for the future. He noted that many IDPs possess valuable skills and experience which, with the right support, could be channelled back into their communities.
“They have a lot of talents and a lot of experience,” he said, adding that sustained investment in human capital would enable displaced persons to contribute meaningfully once they return home.
Addressing security concerns, often cited as a major cost driver behind displacement, Gwabimusa said most displacement camps were already located in relatively secure areas, with the government working to further strengthen protection.
“Wherever displaced persons are, the place is usually secure, and we want to enhance that,” he said. He emphasised, however, that the long-term objective was not to entrench displacement but to prepare people for eventual reintegration.
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“We don’t want them to remain in the camps,” he said. “Eventually, they will have to go back.”
Musa explained that the private sector was increasingly working alongside the government to equip displaced persons with the skills and resilience needed for resettlement. He added that camp locations would continue to receive security support to ensure that economic and social activities could function effectively.
When asked whether the model was sustainable, he said such arrangements had been in place for years and could endure if properly managed. However, he cautioned against creating dependency.
“We don’t want them to get too dependent,” he said. “We want them to be independent, so that when they eventually return to their communities, they can support themselves and contribute to rebuilding their local economies.”
IDP camps as hubs of local enterprise
Olushola Obadimu, director-general of NACCIMA, also suggested that displacement camps should be viewed as hubs of local enterprise.
Addressing the urgent need for a shift in how the nation views displacement, he said, “The reality is that Nigeria is in a crisis with over 2.3 million displaced. Traditional aid can no longer sustain them. We must shift from humanitarian assistance, emergency relief to durable solutions that foster economic integration within these camps. The goal is to transform IDP settlements into hubs of local enterprise.”
Regarding the untapped potential within these communities, he observed, “These camps are dense markets. There are immediate needs for small-scale consumer goods, data services, and financial transfers. Also, we have an underutilised workforce with deep skills. People from farming communities still have their agricultural knowledge; traders and artisans continue to practice their crafts, because the camp is a community in itself.”
He further outlined how the private sector could play a transformative role: “Agribusiness offers opportunities for small-scale processing and storage, while the digital economy allows for freelancing and data work. The private sector can support by initiating pay-as-you-go energy models and supply chain integration, sourcing raw materials from IDP-inclusive corporations.”
Obadimu noted by emphasising the social impact of this economic pivot, noting, “Investing in a displaced population is not charity; it is an economic stimulus and an intentional act. By creating a predictable environment where youths can live productive lives, we avoid the negative behaviours that arise from idleness.”
Read also: Why the future of global stability depends on jobs
Grassroot entrepreneurs empower IDPs
Grassroots entrepreneurs are already proving this model works.
For instance, David Ogbu, owner of Difyco & Bros enterprises, says that sanitation is more than a service; it’s a lifeline. Operating in Benue state across Daudu and Otese, David has grown his business significantly since its launch in 2018. Today, he provides stable livelihoods for 15 employees, specifically prioritising opportunities for displaced persons in the community. His model proves that the sanitation sector is a profitable frontier, generating roughly 20,000 per toilet.
“I have constructed more than 2,000 toilets, most of them in IDP communities. I discovered that it is a good business that also helps my building materials shop. I now construct more than 300 toilets a year. It is profitable and it is very good.”
Similarly, Alhaji Ahmad Kukuri Dawuwa in Yobe State manages a team where more than half the staff are displaced persons, demonstrating that these communities can serve as their own agents of development.
For him, sanitation is a craft of both utility and compassion. Since launching his enterprise in 2016, this TBO’s operation nowspans seven local government areas.
His workforce is a testament to his commitment to social upliftment. Of the 20 staff members currently on his payroll, comprising seven skilled masons and 14 dedicated agents, more than half are internally displaced persons. The business has provided more than just a wage, but has offered a path to resettlement through rigorous vocational training.
Managing such a sprawling network across diverse local terrains is no small task. Yet, Alhaji Ahmad speaks of his experience detailing a business model that transforms the essential need for hygiene into a powerful engine for community resilience and job creation.
“Recently, the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency gave me a contract to construct 30 emergency latrines within 24 hours; I did it in 18. I have constructed more than 3,000 toilets, including 900 for IDPs. My business proves that displaced people can be merchants and agents of their own development”, he said.
This transformation is not limited to small business enterprises, as the digital economy is allowing IDPs gain employment in high-quality remote jobs. Amal Hassan, founder of Outsource Global, is a leader in business sourcing services in Nigeria, providing business support services such as legal, accounting, and tech support to international clients in the US, UK, and Japan.
Her model prioritises social impact and inclusive hiring, with roughly 50 percent of her workforce being women.
Through a partnership with the UNHCR, she also hires and trains IDPs for remote white-collar roles, treating them as a skilled but underutilised workforce. Already operating in cities like Abuja and Gombe, she is now opening a 300-seater centre in Maiduguri to bring these global opportunities directly to the heart of Borno State.
This transition focuses on modern interventions which now increasingly adopt an inclusive approach by supporting both the displaced persons and the host communities that receive them.
Despite these strategic moves, significant challenges remain as the humanitarian landscape is currently at a crossroads, shifting from emergency relief towards long-term self-reliance.
While the old system relied heavily on international donor funding and viewed IDPs primarily as victims, this new strategy uses private equity to integrate displaced populations into global supply chains. By recognising the untapped potential in the sanitation sector and global outsourcing, Nigeria is unlocking a massive market that fosters both individual dignity and national economic growth.
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