News Editor
From Dooshima Terkura Makurdi
The UK Government has announced a £19M funding commitment to develop climate resilient health and education facilities in Nigeria.
The announcement was made at a joint inauguration by the UK Government, UNICEF, Federal Ministry of Health and the Governments of Kano and Jigawa States, of 84 climate-resilient schools and health care facilities under the Climate Resilient Infrastructure for Basic Services (CRIBS) initiative.
A statement made available to newsmen by the Communication Specialist UNICEF Nigeria, Samuel Kaalu, explained that CRIBS is a pioneering and innovative programme that is piloting a new approach to protect essential health and education services from the growing threats of climate change.
Nigeria ranks second globally in climate-related risks to children, with millions affected annually by floods, droughts, and extreme heat.
In response, the CRIBS approach has been developed to assess and strengthen 84 facilities, 39 primary healthcare centres and 45 schools in Kano and Jigawa through targeted climate adaptation measures.
The inauguration of the model facilities marks a significant milestone in demonstrating scalable, community-owned solutions to climate vulnerability that can be adopted by the Federal and state governments.
The events showcased how climate-resilient infrastructure can protect essential health and education services which save lives and support children’s education.
“The UK Government is proud to support the Government of Nigeria through this £19m commitment to the CRIBS programme. This work has been developed through a partnership of organisations and experts including the Federal Government of Nigeria, the UK Government, UNICEF, World Bank, World Health Organization, Sextant Foundation, JigSaw, Fab Inc, Crown Agent and UK Lafiya Programme.
“CRIBS demonstrates how climate-resilient infrastructure can improve access to basic services for vulnerable populations. We hope this model inspires broader replication across Nigeria,” Cynthia Rowe, Development Director Nigeria, British High Commission Abuja said.
The UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Wafaa Saeed, said “This initiative is a testament to what strong partnerships can achieve.
“By investing in climate-smart infrastructure, we are not only protecting services but also empowering communities to safeguard their children’s future. CRIBS is a model for how we can build resilience where it matters most, at the frontline of service delivery,” sh said.
The inauguration aligns with national and state priorities in climate action, health, and education, and reflects the UK’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to mitigate climate risks and improve service delivery.
Our correspondent reports that CRIBS is launched in April 2024, and funded by Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, (FCDO), and developed through a partnership approach from a range of Nigeria Government and international organisations and experts. The main implementing partner has been UNICEF.
CRIBS is a comprehensive and systematic approach to developing affordable, high impact and scalable models of climate-resilient infrastructure for basic services, with a focus on vulnerable communities. Based on the successful implementation of the approach in Kano and Jigawa States, the initiative has been expanded to include Bauchi, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna and Katsina states.
