By ENITAN ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA, mnipr
Residents of Delta State, particularly flood and erosion-prone communities in Asaba, may soon begin to witness the implementation of critical climate adaptation and erosion control projects as the European Investment Bank-assisted Nigeria Climate Adaptation–Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP-EIB) says preparations have reached advanced stages.
This assurance was given during interviews conducted at the venue of the NEWMAP-EIB Joint Mission-GoN-UNOPS-FPMU-SPIUs Capacity Building Project Implementation Workshop held in Asaba, Delta State.
Speaking with journalists, the National Project Coordinator of NEWMAP-EIB, Anda Ayuba Yalaks, explained that the workshop brought together participating states to strengthen implementation capacity and ensure that all projects meet international standards required by the European Investment Bank (EIB).
According to him, the workshop was designed to equip project personnel with the necessary technical knowledge and implementation procedures while also carrying out inspections and documentation of proposed project sites.
He noted that the intervention is being funded under the Nigeria Climate Adaptation, Erosion and Watershed Management Project supported by the European Investment Bank Group.
“All the participating states are gathered here in Delta State to provide the participants with the required knowledge and information and also train them on how the project is going to be implemented,” he said.
Yalaks described the mission as a hybrid exercise involving both capacity building and field inspections to ensure that proposed sites satisfy quality control and assurance requirements of the European Investment Bank before funding approvals are granted.
He further explained the partnership between NEWMAP-EIB and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), stating that UNOPS was engaged by the Federal Government to provide technical supervision and bridge implementation gaps on behalf of the European Investment Bank.
“In every project there are supervisors and managers to ensure that activities are carried out in line with international best practices.
The European Investment Bank is the financier, but they are not physically on ground to provide direct supervision, so UNOPS was engaged to provide technical support, capacity building and institutional strengthening,” he explained.
Speaking on when residents of Asaba should expect project implementation to commence, the National Coordinator disclosed that procurement processes were already at advanced stages, adding that only final clearances and approvals were being awaited.
He said participating states were currently fine-tuning procurement plans to meet minimum standards required by UNOPS and the European Investment Bank.
“Once the UNOPS team clears the procurement plan, technically it has been approved, but the final approval lies with the European Investment Bank. They have assured us of accelerated reviews once the documents get to them,” he stated.
Yalaks assured residents that before the middle of June, procurement approvals for participating states should be completed, paving the way for immediate commencement of procurement and implementation activities.
“Staff capacity is already being developed. We are here to teach them the ‘how.’ Once the procurement plan is approved, they are good to go and procurement will start immediately,” he added.
Also speaking, Senior Project Manager for UNOPS Technical Assistance under the NEWMAP project, Donato Serena, said UNOPS was supporting the Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) and State Project Implementation Units (SPIUs) with technical advisory services in infrastructure delivery, procurement, project management, environmental safeguards and financial management.
Serena explained that the collaboration between UNOPS and NEWMAP-EIB formally commenced after the signing of a contract in 2025, with full implementation support beginning in October of the same year.
He clarified that the project was still at its initiation phase, particularly at the procurement plan approval stage, before technical studies and actual construction works would commence.
According to him, Delta State and Asaba are among the benefiting locations with prioritized intervention sites already identified.
“There are some prioritized sites in Asaba and Delta State and they will be executed,” Serena assured.
In his remarks, Delta State Project Coordinator of NEWMAP-EIB, Benedict Nwaokocha, said the workshop was aimed at helping project teams understand implementation procedures and align with standards prescribed by UNOPS and the European Investment Bank.
Nwaokocha recalled that under the previous World Bank-assisted NEWMAP programme, Delta State successfully completed intervention projects in Owanta, Obomkpa and Ndokwa areas, while some pending sites remained under consideration.
He disclosed that the Delta State Government had now identified two priority intervention sites under the NEWMAP-EIB programme, namely the Ogbeozoma/Amachai area and the Vanguard access road corridor near the airport.
“The state has decided to prioritise two sites — Ogbeozoma/Amachai area and Vanguard access by the airport, and there is every intention by the state to handle those sites as soon as possible,” he said.
Responding to concerns over worsening erosion and flooding in Ogbeozoma and surrounding communities, Nwaokocha assured residents that Delta State had fulfilled all necessary requirements for project commencement.
“Delta has done everything that is required for commencement of implementation. What remains is getting clearer understanding and approvals for our procurement plan. Once this is done, contractors can move to site and begin these interventions,” he said.
The workshop attracted representatives from participating states, project implementation units, federal officials and technical experts working toward the successful rollout of climate adaptation and erosion management projects across Nigeria.