Abuja, September 9, 2025 (NAN) – The United Kingdom has pledged £19 million (about $24 million) to support the construction of climate-resilient health and education facilities in Nigeria.
The funding, announced on Tuesday in a joint statement by the British High Commission and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), will be channeled through the Climate Resilient Infrastructure for Basic Services (CRIBS) initiative.
According to the statement, the investment will deliver 84 climate-resilient facilities, including 39 primary healthcare centres and 45 schools. The announcement was made at an inauguration ceremony hosted by the UK government, UNICEF, Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health, and the governments of Kano and Jigawa States.
“CRIBS is an innovative programme piloting a new approach to protect essential health and education services from the growing threats of climate change. Nigeria ranks second globally in climate-related risks to children, with millions affected annually by floods, droughts, and extreme heat,” the statement read.
Cynthia Rowe, Development Director at the British High Commission in Abuja, said the project was a product of strong partnerships involving the federal government, UNICEF, the World Bank, WHO, and other partners.
“CRIBS shows how climate-resilient infrastructure can improve access to basic services for vulnerable populations,” Ms Rowe noted.
UNICEF’s Country Representative in Nigeria, Wafaa Saeed, also commended the collaboration, stressing that the initiative empowers communities to safeguard their children’s future through climate-smart infrastructure.
Launched in April 2024 with funding from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), CRIBS has expanded beyond Kano and Jigawa States to Bauchi, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna, and Katsina States.
The programme is designed to offer scalable, community-owned models of climate-resilient infrastructure in line with Nigeria’s priorities on climate action, health, and education.
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