Former Nigerian VP, Osinbajo Leads Regional Drive to Tackle Climate Threats and Strengthen Health Financing in West Africa

Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has launched a multi-sector initiative aimed at evaluating the impact of climate change on health systems and developing sustainable financing solutions across parts of West Africa.

The initiative, which spans five countries; Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone, seeks to generate evidence, raise public awareness and guide policy direction on climate adaptation and health financing.

According to organisers,Future Perspectives, in partnership with its development and policy division, the Africa Centre for Future Perspectives, the project is designed to strengthen domestic funding mechanisms for health systems that are increasingly strained by the effects of climate change.

Osinbajo, a long-time advocate for climate justice and sustainable development, is spearheading the programme as part of broader efforts to build resilience in African health infrastructure amid rising environmental and economic pressures.

Across Sub-Saharan Africa, governments are grappling with mounting debt burdens while also confronting climate-induced disruptions that are placing additional stress on fragile health systems.

Reports say extreme weather patterns and environmental shifts are contributing to rising food insecurity, the spread of vector-borne diseases and increased demand for already overstretched health services.

Recall that Osinbajo has previously warned that climate change will have uneven impacts across regions and populations, with vulnerable communities likely to bear the heaviest consequences.

“The impact of climate change will be different across key regions and groups,” he noted, adding that poorer populations in developing economies are often the first and worst affected.

He explained that the ripple effects of climate shocks extend beyond environmental damage to sectors such as healthcare, housing and security, making coordinated responses essential.

As part of the initiative, Osinbajo is scheduled to convene a high-level consultation in Sierra Leone from March 11 to 13, 2026.

The meeting will be hosted alongside Julius Maada Bio, who currently serves as Chair of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States.

The consultation is expected to bring together senior government officials, ministers and policy leaders from across the region to discuss strategies for strengthening climate-health financing frameworks.