Mozambique: Cabo Delgado, Nampula & Niassa Provinces Humanitarian Snapshot

OVERVIEW

A series of attacks by non-State armed groups (NSAGs) in Nampula Province in late November triggered large-scale displacement in northern Mozambique, with humanitarian consequences unfolding in December as Nampula became the focus of the rapid response.

Fear of further attacks and violence forced 82,691 people to flee Memba district, primarily to neighboring Erati, with additional movements to other districts and within other areas of Memba districts and across the provincial border into Mecufi and Chiure districts in Cabo Delgado. Children accounted for approximately 67 per cent of those displaced, highlighting the extreme vulnerability of families affected by sudden and fear-driven movements.

In response, provincial authorities coordinated support from the private sector and local communities to assist displaced and returning populations. By 11 December, at least 12,580 people had returned to their areas of origin through government-facilitated movements.Returnees received five-day food rations provided by the Government with support from private donors and concerned citizens. Overall, morethan 100 metric tons of food and essential goods including seeds for 700 households (3,500 people) were mobilized, reaching over 30,000people,

Despite these efforts, humanitarian partners faced significant challenges in meeting minimum assistance standards. As of 17 December, humanitarian partners had reached approximately 62,000 people with some form of assistance, primarily concentrated in Alua Posto, Erati district. Interventions included multipurpose cash vouchers for more than 20,000 people and two-week food rations for 8,500. Health partners reached 30,000 people, WASH partners delivered hygiene kits to 12,000 people and supported the installation of 5,000 latrines. Emergency shelter and NFIs reached 18,000 people, and Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) services supported 25,000. Protection and child-focused services remained limited, reaching 13,000 people with child protection assistance and 5,000 with GBV services. Education and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) activities reached 2,000 people in Cabo Delgado, in Mecufi District, a total of 9,985 people from Alua and Memba were assisted with multipurpose vouchers. In addition, 225 people who relocated to Chiúre Sede received food assistance as well as hygiene and dignity kits. Meanwhile, in Chiure-Velho Administrative Post, a total of 2,500 people at Nrehile Resettlement Centre were supported with food and hygiene kits.

The humanitarian situation was further compounded by a cholera outbreak and increasing community hostility toward health workers. On 8 and 20 December, residents in Metuge district threatened and attacked health workers following the spread of cholera misinformation linking deaths of health workers and community leaders. These incidents underscored rising protection risks for frontline responders and the urgent need for strengthened community engagement and risk communication. On 9 December, the Ministry of Health officially declared a cholera outbreak in Erati district with 627 cumulative cases and 10 deaths. WASH and health clusters partners with a medical organisation are supporting cholera response through hygiene promotion and community-based sensitization.

The latest bout of violence in Erati and Memba has generated new and acute humanitarian vulnerabilities that fall outside existing prioritization of the 2026 Mozambique Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP). While the HNRP identifies 900,000 people aspriority targets across the most vulnerable districts of Cabo Delgado, large-scale displacement, heightened protection risks, and overstretched basic services in Erati and Memba districts in Nampula Province have created a humanitarian hotspot of needs that must be addressed without delay.