The Office for Strategic Preparedness and Resilience (OSPRE) has officially launched the Resilience and Environmental Sustainability of Resettled Enclaves (RESTORE) Project Report.
The study aims to support ongoing recovery efforts in Nigeria’s conflict-affected North-East region, particularly within internally displaced populations (IDPs) and resettled communities confronting climate-driven vulnerabilities.
The landmark study, carried out with the support of the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Abuja, examines the intersection of climate change, environmental risk factors, conflict dynamics, displacement, and resettlement processes in the Lake Chad Basin, one of Nigeria’s most vulnerable ecological and security frontiers.
Developed as part of OSPRE’s mandate to strengthen national preparedness and resilience systems, the RESTORE Report provides evidence-based insights designed to inform federal and state government policies, civil society interventions, and community-led resilience strategies.
Speaking at the launch event in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, the Country Director of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Sophie Knebel, underscored the urgency of addressing the climate–conflict nexus in the Lake Chad region.
“Climate change is no longer a distant threat for communities in the Lake Chad Basin, it is their daily reality. This report offers critical, grounded evidence on how environmental degradation is compounding fragility, displacement, and insecurity.
“The Heinrich Böll Foundation is proud to support this work, which will help policymakers, humanitarian actors, and communities chart a more sustainable and resilient future,” she stated.
The report highlights key issues including environmental depletion around resettled enclaves, livelihood disruptions caused by climate variability, the coping mechanisms of displaced populations, and the long-term risks posed by desertification and water scarcity.
It also provides actionable recommendations focused on climate adaptation, ecosystem restoration, inclusive peacebuilding, and strategic planning to reduce displacement pressures.
In his remarks, the Director-General of OSPRE, Mr Chris Ngwodo, emphasised the national significance of the study.
“The RESTORE Project represents an essential step toward understanding how climate shocks, environmental pressures, and conflict dynamics intersect to shape displacement and resettlement patterns in the North-East.
“Our goal at OSPRE is to ensure that government and civil society actors have the evidence and tools they need to build resilient communities, strengthen preparedness, and support the long-term recovery of this region. We are grateful for the collaboration with the Heinrich Böll Foundation, whose partnership has made this work possible,” Mr Ngwodo said.
While presenting the findings of the study, the Lead Researcher, Murtala Abdullahi, stressed the need to implement interdisciplinary and multidimensional measures that combine reforestation, livelihood restoration, effective water resource management, transitional justice, and disarmament with military operations.
In his keynote address, former Executive Director of the Victims Support Fund, Professor Sunday Ochoche, called for concerted efforts to ensure that resettlement initiatives are sustainable in the long term.
The RESTORE Project Report will support ongoing national strategies on climate security, environmental sustainability, and durable solutions for displacement.
OSPRE and the Heinrich Böll Foundation reaffirmed their commitment to working with federal agencies, state governments, local authorities, and community organisations to translate the report’s recommendations into actionable policy and programming.