For thousands of displaced people in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria, rebuilding life after conflict is daunting. The state has endured years of communal violence, with attacks by armed herders displacing thousands. Families have lost their homes, farmlands, and sources of income, forcing many into cycles of poverty and uncertainty. With limited humanitarian action in the region, those most impacted continue to struggle even post-conflict.
Victims and survivors shared their stories during an exhibition on Feb. 28 in Jos, Plateau State’s capital. Most of them had made progress with finding self-sufficient means of livelihood, such as through baking and shoemaking.
The exhibition was hosted by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The humanitarian organisation, which established an office there years ago, says its intervention aims not just to address immediate needs but also equip affected individuals with sustainable solutions for the future.
One of the attendees of the programme on Friday was Rebecca John, a 22-year-old from Miango, a rural community that has suffered repeated violent attacks. Fearing for her safety, Rebecca’s parents sent her to stay with a relative in South-South Nigeria, where she completed secondary school in 2022—just months after another wave of violence displaced many in her hometown.
For Rebecca, returning home was not just about financial struggles—it was about facing the trauma of displacement. “Everything felt different. People had left, and those who remained were just trying to survive,” she said. The burden of daily survival meant she had little time to dream of a different future.
Back in Miango, she worked as a labourer alongside her father, a builder. “That’s how we survived,” Rebecca recalled.
Later in 2022, she received training in catering. “It gave me hope,” she said while carefully arranging pastries she had baked for the exhibition.
Now, Rebecca sells baked goods in her community, making a 50 per cent profit on good days. “My location is far from the market, so sales are slow on other days,” she noted.
Despite the challenges, she is determined to save enough money to continue her education and fulfil her dream of becoming an accountant.
“Our mission is not only to respond to immediate humanitarian needs but also to build long-term resilience and empower communities to rebuild their futures,” Ousseni Kinda, NRC’s Area Manager in Jos, told HumAngle.
“We want to see sustainability in what we do, and that’s why we always focus on community integration within the key areas,” Jamilu Usman, a technical advisor on the project, added.
Another attendee, Justina Bulus from Rafiki in Bassa LGA, was forced to drop out of secondary school due to financial constraints and the ongoing attacks that continued to displace her family. “It was a struggle,” she said. “My mum and I used to sell sand from the river to afford my school fees, but with the continued attacks, we had to leave our village for some time.”
During a five-month training, Justina learnt shoemaking. She now makes and sells shoes within her community and beyond and has also started mentoring others.
“At first, I didn’t think much of it. I had never imagined myself making shoes,” Justina recalled. But as the training progressed, she started seeing the potential. “The first time I sold a pair, I felt a sense of achievement I had never felt before.”
Displaced families also risk losing their ancestral lands permanently without legal proof of ownership. Some humanitarian organisations, including NRC, are helping restore land rights.
Daniel Geh from Irigwe Chiefdom, another rural community, says, “The attacks have continued to displace us, but with the certificate of occupancy, regardless of what happens, I can prove legal ownership of the land.”
“The land documentation efforts have given our community hope,” Musa Zahwuie, the District Head of Teegbe in Bassa LGA, said. “Families now have Certificates of Occupancy, which has reduced land disputes and enabled displaced people to return with a sense of security.”
NRC says it has implemented livelihood programmes across six local government areas and more than 26 communities in the state, focusing on five core areas: Education, Livelihoods and Food Security (LFS); Shelter, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH); and Information, Counselling, and Legal Assistance (ICLA), with over 67,000 beneficiaries recorded since 2022.
Conflict in Plateau State, Nigeria, has displaced thousands, with many families suffering loss of homes and livelihoods due to armed attacks by herders. Humanitarian efforts, such as those by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), aim to provide sustainable solutions, focusing on rebuilding and empowerment rather than just immediate relief. Survivors like Rebecca John and Justina Bulus have received vocational training to become self-sufficient, with Rebecca engaging in baking and Justina excelling in shoemaking, despite the challenges of displacement.
NRC’s initiatives include livelihood programs, community integration, and land rights restoration to mitigate the long-term impacts of conflict. The organization has aided over 67,000 beneficiaries, emphasizing education, food security, and legal assistance. Land documentation has brought hope and reduced disputes, allowing displaced families to return with security and resume farming, fostering a sense of resilience and community rebuilding.