The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has identified Nigeria as one of the countries most exposed to climate hazards impacting children’s health, education, and overall development.
Cynthia Rowe, FCDO’s Director of Development, made this known on Monday at the official handover of a school and healthcare facility built under the Climate Resilient Infrastructure for Basic Services (CRIBS) initiative in Chamo community, Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
According to Rowe, Nigeria ranks second globally for climate-related risks to children, with the threat undermining their chances of survival, growth, learning, and achieving their potential.
The CRIBS project is a joint effort between UNICEF, FCDO, development partners, as well as the governments of Kano and Jigawa States.
UNICEF’s Country Representative, Wafaa Saeed, explained that the project was designed to protect children from the adverse effects of climate change. She commended the Jigawa government for its commitment to improving the welfare of women and children, noting that UNICEF and partners had introduced innovative strategies to reduce climate vulnerabilities.
Saeed also applauded the state’s progress in ending open defecation by expanding access to public toilets, while stressing that UNICEF’s interventions had helped cut down the number of out-of-school children in the state.
Governor Umar Namadi, represented at the event, praised the development partners for supporting Jigawa, describing the initiative as a “creative approach to tackling climate change.”
He acknowledged that Jigawa faces frequent natural disasters, particularly flooding and drought, which disrupt schools and healthcare delivery. Namadi pledged continued collaboration with partners to enhance the wellbeing of women and children as part of the state’s long-term development agenda.