Building inclusive climate resilience in Nigeria

CBM’s EU-funded project strengthens communities in Benue and Plateau States, Nigeria — putting civil society at the centre of climate action.

© CBM

In Nigeria’s Benue and Plateau states, climate change is a daily disruption. Floods, droughts, farmer-herder conflict, and displacement are eroding livelihoods, fueling uncertainty, and deepening poverty. Among the most affected are women, youth, and persons with disabilities, who are often left out of local climate discussions and policies.

With support from the European Union, CBM and its partners are building inclusive climate resilience with activities implemented through the project: Enabling Resilience to Climate Change Related Risks through Local CSOs’ Strengthening (ER2CC)
 

The ER2CC project strengthens civil society’s role in implementing Nigeria’s National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) at local levels, ensuring that climate solutions are inclusive, community-led, and sustainable. By building the capacity of over 40 community-based groups — including organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), women and youth-led groups, and farmer associations — this initiative nurtures local ownership, promotes social cohesion, and enables marginalised voices to shape their climate future.

Local actors, lasting change

Musa Yunana Bwala, the Humanitarian MEAL Officer at CBM Nigeria, discusses the situation with Nana during a rapid assessment at Bakasi IDP Camp in Maiduguri, Nigeria. This assessment was part of efforts to provide support to people affected by flash floods in the area. © CBM
Musa Yunana Bwala, the Humanitarian MEAL Officer at CBM Nigeria, speaks with Nana at the Bakasi IDP Camp in Nigeria during a rapid assessment program to provide support following the flash floods in the area.

CBM’s long-term partnerships with local organisations have been the backbone of this initiative. Collaborating with CeGHaD and ELIM Christian Vocational Training Centre, the project supports:

  • 15 corporate social organisations, including organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), engaged in policy dialogue and climate governance
  • 40 Village Economic and Social Associations (VESAs): among others, offer access to loans to diversify income to improve economic status
  • 20 Disaster Risk Committees and 16 Ward Peace Fora:  Training on inclusive climate change disaster risk reduction and mitigation aims to enhance local disaster response and conflict resolution.
  • 80 farmers from 40 farmer groups: trained in inclusive, climate-smart agriculture who will transfer knowledge to 1,440 small-holders and homestead farmers and their households.

These efforts directly benefit over 800,000 people — prioritising women and persons with disabilities —  in the target states of Benue and Plateau, of whom an estimated 55% are women and 15% are people with disabilities.

Bridging climate action, peace, and inclusion

What sets ER2CC apart is its integration of disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction (DiDRR), sustainable agriculture, and peacebuilding under one umbrella. In fragile contexts like Benue and Plateau, where climate stress drives migration and conflict, siloed responses aren’t enough.

ER2CC brings these threads together:

This holistic approach reflects CBM’s Community-Based Inclusive Development (CBID) model: people-centred, community-driven, and rights-based. It also supports Nigeria’s 2018 Disability Act and aligns with the EU’s Multi-Annual Indicative Programme for Nigeria (2021–2027) and the Team Europe Initiative on the Green Economy.

  • Geballte Faust

    Peace clubs in 20 secondary schools promote peaceful coexistence among youth

  • Sieben Figuren bilden eine Gruppe

    Ward peace forums mediate local disputes and reduce farmer-herder tensions

  • Eine Figur schreibt etwas auf.

    Disability-inclusive trainings ensure accessibility and participation in every stage

  • Eine Figur kniet vor einer Pflanze

    Tree planting and irrigation schemes improve the environment and food security

Synergies and scale

ER2CC doesn’t work in isolation. It builds on CBM’s ongoing Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DiDRR) work in Benue and collaborates with actors like GIZ, FAO, and state ministries. These collaborations ensure coordination, avoid duplication, and lay the groundwork for scale-up to other climate-vulnerable regions in Nigeria.

CBM’s implementation model — which includes partner due diligence, gender and disability analysis, and inclusive design — has proven effective in delivering high-impact, high-integrity projects. Our partners are change agents rooted in their communities.

Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction in Benue State

This DiDRR initiative in Benue State, Nigeria, is a collaboration between CBM and Elim Christian Vocational Training Centre, focusing on enhancing community resilience through Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction. The ER2CC project builds on the achievements of this DiDRR project in the region.

Interested partnering with CBM?

If your institution wants to invest in inclusive climate resilience, CBM welcomes collaboration. We bring tested partnerships, field-proven approaches, and a commitment to working with those most at risk.

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