Flood prevention through river dredging in Nigeria
NILDS calls for infrastructure investment to combat erosion
Enhancing Nigeria’s climate resilience via waterway maintenance
On January 28, 2025, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, Director-General of the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), called for the dredging of major rivers and dams in Nigeria to prevent severe flooding. He made this appeal during a three-day validation retreat on the draft Model Climate Change Law for Africa in Abuja.
Despite Nigeria’s progress in climate change governance, Prof. Sulaiman stressed that infrastructure gaps like dredging must be addressed. He noted that of the N14.85 trillion proposed for capital expenditure in the 2025 federal budget, only 0.03% is allocated to dredging projects.
He urged the government to increase funding to mitigate floods and erosion. Dr. George Wamukoya, Team Lead of the African Group of Negotiators Expert Support (AGNES), emphasized the importance of strong legal frameworks in tackling climate change. Dr. Rose Mwebaza, Director of the United Nations Environment Programme in Nigeria, added that Africa remains highly vulnerable due to weak domestic legal structures. She pointed out that only four out of 54 African countries have climate change laws.
This discussion highlights the urgent need for Nigeria to invest in climate-resilient infrastructure. Dredging and other preventive measures can help protect communities from severe environmental hazards.
