Logistics Coordination Challenges in Humanitarian Aid Distribution in Adamawa State

Effective logistics coordination is foundational to humanitarian aid delivery, yet the complex multi-stakeholder environment of emergency response in conflict-affected areas frequently generates coordination failures that reduce aid reach and efficiency. This study examines logistics coordination challenges in humanitarian aid distribution operations in Adamawa State, North East Nigeria, which hosts one of the country's largest internally displaced person populations. A qualitative research design is employed, involving semi-structured interviews with 28 logistics coordinators, programme managers, and field officers from nine humanitarian organizations including United Nations agencies, international NGOs, and government emergency management agencies. Interview data are analysed using thematic analysis within a logistics coordination theoretical framework covering information sharing, joint planning, resource pooling, and standardization of operations. Five core coordination challenges are identified: fragmented information systems, competition for limited transportation assets, inconsistent registration data, security-driven route variability, and inadequate last-mile delivery capacity to remote communities. Successful coordination mechanisms identified include the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service, inter-agency transport pooling arrangements, and shared beneficiary databases. Recommendations include establishing a mandatory logistics cluster coordination protocol for all registered humanitarian operators in the state and investing in digital beneficiary tracking platforms. A professional coordination improvement framework structured around these recommendations is presented as the primary study output. Keywords: logistics coordination, humanitarian aid, Adamawa State, displacement, last-mile delivery