The PALM-TREEs research project, titled A Pan-African and Transdisciplinary Lens on the Margins: Tackling the Risks of Extreme Events, has intensified its efforts to support vulnerable communities in Lagos State through climate-resilient livelihood interventions.
The initiative is funded under the Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CLARE) Programme, co-supported by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
In Nigeria, it is being implemented by researchers from Lead City University, Ibadan; the University of Lagos; and the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER).
The project’s progress was showcased during the handover of community-based socio-economic intervention projects held on Friday, January 9, 2026, at the Responsible Leaders Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the Principal Investigator and Pioneer Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Design and Management at Lead City University, Professor Grace Oloukoi, described the growing challenges of climate change—particularly increasing flooding, heatwaves, and drought—as global threats with disproportionate social impacts.
She explained that the PALM-TREEs project was established to generate actionable, transdisciplinary knowledge and translate research findings into practical solutions that enhance the adaptive capacity of communities living on the margins.
“She said, “Our work focuses on solution transfer, transformational climate tools, and the co-creation of knowledge with communities. Climate impacts are not experienced equally, and our interventions deliberately respond to differences in gender, livelihood, location, and access to resources.”
Professor Oloukoi explained that the study uses Lagos State as a major case study due to its exposure to coastal flooding, heat stress, and urban pressures.
She noted that fieldwork covered hundreds of communities across the 20 Local Government Areas of the state. More than 100 communities, including Agboyi, Mile 12, Ketu, Ogudu, Iju-Waterworks, Epe, and other flood- and heat-prone locations, were visited.
She stressed that strengthening rural and peri-urban communities remains critical to food security, public health, and social stability, adding that many affected residents prefer to remain in their communities if provided with appropriate adaptation support.
“All our interventions are community-driven. The project team and the beneficiaries identified the needs. The benefiting communities own the facilities provided, and are responsible for their use and maintenance.
“This approach ensures sustainability and long-term resilience,” she said, while calling on the government to scale up similar support for farmers and informal workers.
On his part, a Co-Principal Investigator from the University of Lagos, Professor Mayowa Fasona, explained that the PALM-TREEs project operates across six African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, and South Africa.
In Lagos State, he said, the project has intervened in multiple communities across eight Local Government Areas, providing infrastructure and livelihood support aimed at reducing vulnerability to climate extremes.
Among the interventions are a solar-powered borehole installed at Ogudu Police Barracks to support women’s vegetable farming and domestic water needs; smokeless fish-smoking kilns and inverter deep freezers for fishing communities; irrigation equipment and farm tools; climate-resilient vegetable seedlings; shaded gazebo structures for communal activities; and fryers for cassava processing.
Professor Fasona added that the project also includes extensive capacity-building, such as training on land improvement, water infrastructure management, agroforestry, soil enhancement, and household nutrition.
In addition, over 3,500 seedlings of economic trees, including cashew, shea butter, and locust bean, have been distributed to support agroforestry practices.
“These interventions are designed to improve incomes, reduce losses during extreme events and market disruptions, and strengthen sustainable livelihoods for both men and women.”
Beneficiaries of the project commended the research team for its inclusive and transparent approach. Representatives of beneficiary communities, including Mrs. Foluke Omoladeyemi and Mrs. Felicia Olalekan, described the interventions as timely and impactful, and urged government agencies to adopt and scale up the project’s recommendations.
The PALM-TREEs project in Lagos, Nigeria is led by Professor Gracek Oloukoi of Lead City University, in collaboration with Professor Mayowa Fasona of the University of Lagos and Professor Andrew Onwuemele of NISER.
The project commenced in 2024 and continues to engage communities and policymakers in advancing climate-resilient development.
