In order to address the devastating effects of gully erosion, land degradation, and watershed mismanagement throughout the nation, the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) was first started with financial assistance from the World Bank and the Nigerian government. Over the course of eight fruitful years (2013–2022), NEWMAP carried out transformative interventions in 23 participating states by fusing community-driven development, environmental protection, sustainable livelihoods, and bio-engineering through the strategic catchment management approach.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) collaborated with the Government of Nigeria to build on the accomplishments of NEWMAP after the World Bank-supported phase officially ended in June 2022. With this renewed partnership, a new funding phase that aims to maintain momentum, strengthen environmental and biodiversity conservation practices, improve climate change adaptation efforts, and deepen catchment management approaches has begun.
The official name of this new phase is the Nigeria Climate Adaptation – Erosion and Watershed Project (NEWMAP–EIB). It is organized around two main components and will be implemented over a five-year period using the same watershed management methodology.
Infrastructure Investment for Watershed Management and Erosion:
Practical interventions that target high-risk gully systems and prevent further land degradation are included in this component. The main goals are to:
Stabilize areas of severe erosion.
Use GRASS to proactively address new erosion issues and reduce intervention costs.
Boost readiness for flooding and landslides.
Project Administration:
This element offers the technical support required to guarantee the project’s efficient delivery and administration. It gives the State Project Management Unit (SPMU) and the Federal Project Management Units (FPMU) more authority, which guarantees the project’s successful execution and accomplishment of its goals.
By retaining the original 23 participating states, the NEWMAP–EIB Project marks a smooth transition and ongoing interventions, bringing the NEWMAP initiative into a new era. It reaffirms the dedication to enhancing vulnerable populations’ quality of life, safeguarding natural resources, and increasing Nigeria’s resilience to the effects of climate change.
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