The Federal Government has unveiled plans to tackle erosion and land degradation in 23 states with the support of a €175 million facility from the European Investment Bank (EIB).
The initiative, known as the Nigeria Climate Adaptation–Erosion and Watershed Project (NEWMAP-EIB), was officially launched on Tuesday in Abuja by the Minister of Environment and Chairman of the project’s Steering Committee, Alhaji Balarabe Lawal.
Lawal explained that the EIB-assisted programme 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.
“The Federal Government has fulfilled all the outlined conditions for the implementation of this project. Consequently, the European Investment Bank-assisted NEWMAP-EIB is now disbursement-effective,” he said.
The minister noted that the previous World Bank-supported project helped stabilize gully erosion sites, improve livelihoods, and strengthen institutions across participating states. The new phase, backed by the EIB, will be implemented over five years in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau, and Sokoto.
According to Lawal, the NEWMAP-EIB has been restructured into two components: erosion and watershed management infrastructure investment, and project management. Oversight will be provided by a Federal Steering Committee chaired by the Environment Minister, with a Federal Project Management Unit coordinating implementation across states.
National Project Coordinator of NEWMAP-EIB, Engr. Anda Ayuba Yalaks, said the programme will help address challenges linked to climate change, including flooding, erosion, and land degradation.
“This project will provide the technical assistance necessary to ensure effective management of erosion and deliver lasting solutions to environmental threats,” Yalaks stated.
