By Abdullahi Lukman
The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched the European Investment Bank (EIB)-assisted Nigeria Climate Adaptation – Erosion and Watershed Project (NEWMAP-EIB) to strengthen erosion control, flood management, and watershed restoration across 23 states across the country.
Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal, has described the project as a milestone in combating soil degradation, enhancing food security, and promoting land restoration.
He noted that the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and will safeguard farmlands, infrastructure, and livelihoods while boosting community participation in climate adaptation efforts.
The NEWMAP-EIB builds on the achievements of the earlier Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP-IDA), which ran from 2013 to 2022 with World Bank support.
That program initially covered seven states and later expanded to 23, addressing gully erosion and improving community resilience.
To consolidate and expand those gains, the EIB approved €175 million in additional financing in 2020. The updated NEWMAP-EIB project has now passed all technical and financial requirements and will be implemented over the next five years in states including Abia, Anambra, Borno, Edo, Kaduna, Kano, and Plateau.
The federal government has already released ₦750 million as the first tranche of counterpart funding to support implementation.
EIB’s Head of Regional Hub for West and Central Africa, Roger Stuart, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s goal of addressing soil degradation by 2030.
Other partners, including UNOPS, also pledged technical support to ensure project success and community resilience.
Representing the 23 participating states, Gombe State Deputy Governor, Manasseh Jatau, expressed full commitment to supporting mitigation and adaptation strategies to address flooding and erosion challenges nationwide.
