Japan and UNESCO have signed an Arrangement Letter to implement a $50,000 flood resilience project in Niger.

The project aims to strengthen long-term societal stability and reduce the impact of climate-induced flooding. The signing ceremony for the project took place on Wednesday in Abuja.

The ceremony marked the formal launch of a 12-month implementation window in the Mokwa LGA.

Japan’s ambassador to Nigeria, 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, underscoring the need to prepare for future disasters.

According to him, the project aligns with Japan’s development priorities under the Tokyo International Conference on African Development and supports key Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 11 and SDG 13.

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.

Mr Abiaga described the project as a science-driven and community-focused intervention. 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.

Aisha Ndayako, the permanent secretary of the Ecological Project Office, said the office remained fully committed to successful implementation.

According to her, the office has a statutory responsibility to coordinate national efforts to provide sustainable solutions to Nigeria’s ecological challenges.

Ms Ndayako assured that the project’s lessons and best practices would serve as a model for other flood-prone communities across the country.

Hajo Sani, Nigeria’s ambassador and permanent delegate to UNESCO, said that although the project focused on Niger, it had strong potential for nationwide replication.

Enang Moma, national professional officer for the Natural Science Sector at UNESCO, explained that the project was developed in response to the Japanese supplementary budget’s call for proposals.

She said the initiative aimed to strengthen 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 Japan and 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.

(NAN)