Pecohub Japan has committed $53,000 to support a UNESCO-led project to strengthen flood resilience in Nigeria, with a focus on Niger State.
The commitment was formalised on Wednesday at the Arrangement Letter Signing Ceremony held in Abuja, marking the official launch of the project titled “Strengthening Flood Resilience in Nigeria to Foster Long-term Societal Stability – Focus on Niger State.
“The initiative seeks to help Nigeria move away from emergency flood response towards proactive, climate-resilient development.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Suzuki Hideo, said the signing represented more than a formal agreement: “This is rather a commitment to transforming vulnerability into strength and crisis into opportunity,” he said.
Suzuki noted that climate-induced flooding poses an increasing threat to communities across Nigeria.
He recalled the devastating floods that hit Niger State in 2025, particularly in Mokwa Local Government Area.
“Over 500 lives were lost, thousands displaced, critical infrastructure and vast farmlands submerged,” he said, adding that the losses were “not mere statistics but human stories of loss and hardship.
“The ambassador explained that the $53,000 support would fund a 12-month project focused on capacity building, strengthened early warning systems, youth-driven disaster risk reduction and climate risk-informed decision-making.
According to him, the project embodies the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, linking the protection of lives and livelihoods with long-term institutional strengthening and societal stability.
He added that the initiative aligns with Japan’s commitments under the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) and advances key Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goals 11 and 13.
On behalf of the Federal Government, the Permanent Secretary of the Ecological Project Office, Dr. Aishetu Ndayako, described the partnership as timely and significant.
Ndayako commended UNESCO and the Government of Japan for their support. She assured that the Ecological Project Office would work closely with UNESCO, the Niger State Government and other stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the project.
“We are confident that the lessons and best practices from this intervention will serve as a replicable model for flood-prone communities across Nigeria,” she added.
Also speaking, UNESCO Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Hajo Sani, said flooding has become a persistent and deeply concerning challenge for the country.
She said communities across Nigeria continue to suffer loss of lives, livelihoods and infrastructure as flood incidents increase.
Sani praised Japan’s global leadership in disaster risk reduction and human security, noting that the Niger State-focused project provides a strong foundation for similar interventions in other flood-prone regions.
The Head of Office a.i. of UNESCO Abuja, Dr Jean-Paul Abiaga, said the signing marked more than a formal agreement. He described it as a shared promise to protect communities and build long-term resilience.
Abiaga explained that the project would bring together science, education, community engagement and policy support.”Let us see this arrangement letter not just as a document, but as a promise to safeguard livelihoods and empower communities,” he added.
The project was developed in response to the Japanese Supplementary Budget call for proposals.
It aims to strengthen national and community capacities for flood preparedness through improved institutional coordination, climate-risk-informed decision-making and targeted capacity development.
