Abuja: The Government of Japan and UNESCO have signed an Arrangement Letter to launch a $50,000 (about ₦75 million) flood‑resilience project in Niger State, aimed at strengthening communities against recurring disasters
The project aims to strengthen long-term societal stability and reduce the impact of climate-induced flooding.
The signing ceremony for the project titled: “Strengthening Flood Resilience in Nigeria to Foster Long-Term Societal Stability with Focus on Niger State”, took place on Wednesday in Abuja.
The ceremony marked the formal launch of a 12-month implementation window in the Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger.
The Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Mr Hideo Suzuki, said the project reflected a shared commitment to turning vulnerabilities into strength and crisis into opportunities.
He recalled that in 2025, flooding claimed over 500 lives and displaced over 1,000 people in Niger State, underscoring the need to prepare for future disasters.
“Last year, particularly in the Mokwa area, over 500 lives were lost, over 1000 displaced, critical infrastructure and vast farmlands were ravaged, so much so that these are not mere statistics, but human stories of loss and hardship.
“This is why the Government of Japan is about to support this UNESCO project with approximately 50,000 US dollars, and over the next 12 months, we will shift from reactive disaster response to proactive climate resilient development.
“We will ensure capacity building, strengthened early warning systems, nuclear production, and innovative climate risk-informed decision analysis methodology towards the project.
According to him, the project aligns with Japan’s development priorities under the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). It also supports key Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 11 and SDG 13.
In his remarks, Dr John-Paul Abiaga, UNESCO Head of Office in Nigeria, said the 2025 floods exposed the urgent need to move from emergency response to preparedness and coordinated action.
“The impact of the 2025 flood in Niger State showed us the urgent need to move from reacting to disasters to preparing for them.
“We need to move from fragmented efforts to coordinated action and from short-term relief to lasting resilience,” he said.
Abiaga described the project as a science-driven and community-focused intervention.
“This project is about preparing the community for early action, about improving coordination in climate-informed decision-making, and also in training experts, Nigerian experts,” he said.
He expressed UNESCO’s appreciation to the Government of Japan and other stakeholders for their support, describing the Arrangement Letter as a promise to protect lives and livelihoods.
Dr Aisha Ndayako, Permanent Secretary of the Ecological Project Office, said the office remained fully committed to the successful implementation of the project.
According to her, the Ecological Project Office has a statutory responsibility to coordinate national efforts to provide sustainable solutions to Nigeria’s ecological challenges.
“These realities underscore the urgent need to move beyond emergency response and adopt proactive, community-centered, and climate-resilient solutions.”
Ndayako assured that the project’s lessons and best practices would serve as a model for other flood-prone communities across the country.
Dr Hajo Sani, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Nigeria to UNESCO, said that although the project focused on Niger State, it had strong potential for replication nationwide.
“While the immediate focus is on Niger State, we see this project as a strong foundation, one that can generate practical lessons, test models, and their momentum for replication in other flood-prone regions of Nigeria,” she said.
Earlier, Dr Enang Moma, National Professional Officer, Natural Science Sector, UNESCO, explained that the project was developed in response to the Japanese Supplementary Budget’s call for proposals.
She said the initiative aimed at strengthening national and community capacities for flood preparedness through improved institutional coordination, climate-risk-informed decision-making, and targeted capacity development.
According to her, the Arrangement Letter signing ceremony formalises the partnership between UNESCO and the Government of Japan. It officially launches the project to support flood resilience and long-term stability in Nigeria.
The project objectives included formalising the partnership, raising public awareness, and demonstrating Japan’s commitment to climate-resilient development.
The objectives also include reaffirming long-standing cooperation between Japan and UNESCO in Nigeria.
TheDiggerNews.com recalls that the Japan Prize on Education for Sustainable Development, funded by the Government of Japan, consists of three annual awards of USD 50,000 each.
It was awarded for the first time by the Director-General of UNESCO in November 2015.