Nasarawa Partners UK to Undertake Climate Projects

Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia

The Nasarawa State Government has signed a public private partnership with the UK-Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF) on a mutual accountability framework (MAF) to undertake climate projects.

Nasarawa State Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Sule, yesterday signed the partnership agreement, facilitated by the Nasarawa State Investment and Development Agency (NASIDA) in Abuja.

Accordingly, two climate-smart projects made up of a 4,000-Bed Hostel for the Nasarawa State University Keffi and a 450 hectares Gudi Industrial Hub were selected for execution during the signing ceremony.

At the signing of the agreement, Sule expressed optimism that the partnership would help improve productivity, and reduce poverty based on sustainable economic, social and environmental development as enshrined in the Nasarawa State Economic Development Strategy.

Sule, however, said he was looking forward to UKNIAF’s support of other climate-smart projects in the Nasarawa State PPP pipeline and to also benefit from a full spectrum of the UKNIAF support through the development of Outline Business Case and market engagement to secure private sector participation.

Sule said: “As we sign this Mutual Accountability Framework, we wish to

reaffirm our promise and commitment to do things differently. We will continue to work innovatively, leverage partnerships, and implement essential policy reforms that translate to good governance for everyone across Nasarawa State.”

Head of Economic Development, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Sally Woolhouse, said with the signing of the agreement, UNICEF and NASIDA would collaborate to develop climate-smart infrastructure projects and unlock critically private financing for the development of the state.

She explained that Nasarawa State was chosen for the project mostly because of the reforms introduced by the Sule’s administration in the area of ease of doing business.

She said: “We are very excited to be working with you, given the positive context we can run a programme such as this. It’s not a coincidence that those things go together. 

“But equally, we see the need for infrastructure in addressing climate change both in terms of decarbonizing the economy, also increasing resilience to impact,” Sally added.

In his remark, Managing Director of UKNIAF, Prof Chidiebere Onyia, said five key reforms initiated by the Sule’s administration were the catalyst that was facilitating the PPP agreement between UKNIAF and Nasarawa State.

Also speaking, Managing Director/CEO of NASIDA, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the state was committed to the partnership for mutual prosperity.