In the face of growing climate risk, experts are pushing for the Construction of climate-resilient roads in Nigeria, emphasizing how important the construction of these roads are to the Sustainable Development of the country. Unresilient Infrastructure will become more and more unsustainable as climate impacts deepen, necessitating regular repairs and possibly restricting economic growth. On the other hand, climate-resilient roads facilitate long-term economic planning by laying a solid, long-lasting basis for growth. Particularly, it was highlighted that extreme weather-resistant roads are crucial to preventing climate-related infrastructure issues from impeding Nigeria’s future development.
This concern was recently advocated by experts who convened at a recent workshop presentation at Kaduna State University (KASU). The workshop sought to investigate climate adaptation options for the country’s road infrastructure, under the direction of Professor Auwal Farouk Abdussalam, chief investigator of Nigeria’s Climate Adaptation for Road Enhancement framework. According to Professor Farouk, the gathering brought together experts from academia, government, and engineering to discuss how to make the country’s roadways more resilient to counter the increasing effects of climate change.
A pressing need for Nigeria to future-proof its infrastructure.
According to him, the workshop’s main emphasis was on Nigeria’s Climate Adaptation for Road Enhancement (N-Care) framework, a creative project funded by TetFund. He explained that the initiative aims to lessen the impact of flooding, heat stress, and other environmental issues on the nation’s road networks by utilizing climate-resilient materials, cutting-edge drainage systems, and thorough climate risk assessments. Professor Farouk further underlined that implementing climate-conscious practices could eventually save a substantial amount of money on maintenance while also enhancing the safety and Sustainability of roadways.
Professor Farouk asserted that as Climate Change continues to endanger public works, such a situation highlighted Nigeria’s pressing need to future-proof its infrastructure. N-CARE has been championing the development of revised construction standards for resilient roads. It is specifically designed to promote a strong, climate-resilient road network that boosts economic expansion, guarantees dependable connectivity, and lowers the risk associated with erosion, flooding, and extreme heat. By taking a holistic approach, N-CARE aims to improve long-term infrastructure planning in accordance with international climate adaptation standards and update road design and construction standards.
Lack of thorough climate data remains a challenge.
Numerous experts, environmentalists, and business stakeholders have endorsed the N-CARE concept. Stakeholders generally acknowledge the significance of N-CARE’s objective, but they also demand more funding and assistance to make sure it succeeds. Experts contend that in order to scale out climate-resilient road building across the country, a more substantial domestic financing stream is required, even as the framework has established collaborations with foreign organizations. Despite its advantages, climate-resilient road construction in Nigeria is fraught with difficulties. Particularly in rural locations with limited resources, the high costs of specialist construction techniques and durable materials might be a deterrent.
Additionally, lack of thorough climate data which would serve as guidelines for the project design and technical know-how required to successfully implement these advanced construction techniques remains a challenge. Another barrier to successfully implementing climate-resilient road improvements is Corruption and inefficiency in the public procurement process. Meanwhile, adapting climate-resilient infrastructure for Nigeria entails modifying road materials, enhancing drainage systems, and implementing cutting-edge engineering techniques to shield roadways from hazards caused by flooding, extreme heat, and heavy precipitation.
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Responding to these urgent needs, Experts and stakeholders are urging the Nigerian government to give climate-resilient road construction top priority in its national infrastructure policy. This entails incorporating climate risk assessments into every road project, establishing building codes that take into account Nigeria’s varied environment, and guaranteeing sufficient money for resilient materials and methods. The significance of public-private partnerships was also emphasized by experts, who point out that private Investment can supplement public spending and speed up the scaling of resilient infrastructure projects.