MDIF CEO Raises Concern Over Mental Strain on Aid Workers

MDIF CEO Raises Concern Over Mental Strain on Aid Workers

By Auwal Ahmad

The Chief Executive Officer of the Migration and Development Impact Foundation (MDIF), Margaret Ngozi Ukegbu, has expressed concern over the growing emotional and psychological pressure faced by humanitarian and non-governmental organisation (NGO) workers in Nigeria and called for stronger support systems to protect their mental well-being.

Ukegbu spoke during a training program organised for NGOs and civil society workers from Gombe, Bauchi, and Plateau States., in Jos on Wednesday, where participants received training in mental health awareness, financial resilience, employability, emotional intelligence, and workplace balance.

She said many aid workers spend years supporting vulnerable communities while neglecting their own emotional, psychological, and financial health.

“We are not asking people to leave their jobs or do anything dishonest. We aim to empower people to grow personally while remaining committed to their work,” she said.

According to her, humanitarian workers handling issues such as migration, child protection, climate change, mental health, and humanitarian crises often operate under intense pressure without adequate psychosocial support.

“These workers carry other people’s pain every day, yet many of them have no psychosocial support system. Some become overwhelmed to the point that it affects their family life, finances, and emotional stability,” she said.

Ukegbu explained that the training was designed to provide practical knowledge that would help participants improve their financial discipline, emotional wellbeing, and overall productivity.

She noted that MDIF, a Lagos-based organisation operating in the South-West and South-East, plans to expand its interventions to the North-Central and North-East regions.

The MDIF’s chief said her experience at the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons partly inspired the initiative.

According to her, officers involved in humanitarian operations were often left without emotional support despite regularly dealing with traumatic situations.

“We used to receive returning migrants from Libya, hear terrible stories, and see their condition, but there was nobody to support the officers emotionally. You had to bottle everything inside,” she recalled.

Ukegbu also said the organisation provides security awareness training for humanitarian workers; she noted that many unknowingly expose themselves to danger while carrying out humanitarian assignments.

On national unity, she urged Nigerians to avoid ethnic and regional divisions and support inclusive development across the country.

“Nigeria is one. If we truly love this country, then we must support one another regardless of region. We cannot isolate people because of insecurity narratives,” she said.

She added that MDIF hopes to extend its programs to states like Borno, Kebbi, and Katsina when resources become available.

Participants at the training described the programme as timely and impactful.

One of the participants, Ibrahim Yusuf, said the sessions improved his understanding of business opportunities, mental health, financial resilience, and employability.

“We always deal with vulnerable communities and forget to take care of our own mental health. This training helped us understand the importance of improving ourselves while strengthening service delivery,” he said.

Another participant, Jibirin Bappa, described the program as one of the most beneficial training sessions he had attended.

“It taught us that as carers and community leaders, we must first take care of ourselves before helping others,” he said.