Joint efforts to establish a center of excellence for addressing flood-related challenges

In a proactive move to combat the recurring issue of floods in Ibadan metropolis, the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP) and the University of Ibadan (UI) are actively seeking a collaborative partnership. Backed by the World Bank and the Oyo State government, both entities aim to establish a center of excellence dedicated to tackling various flood-related challenges.

The IUFMP, a $220 million project initiated in 2014 in response to a devastating flood disaster claiming numerous lives and causing billions of naira worth of property damage, has already invested over $170 million. These funds have been directed toward the development of master plans, infrastructure improvements, bridge construction, culvert expansion, and extensive river and stream dredging spanning a distance of 450 kilometers. Notably, the expansion of culverts on the Orogun River is also part of the ongoing efforts.

During a recent visit to UI, the IUFMP Project Coordinator, Olasunkanmi Sokeye, along with his team, appealed to the university for collaboration to ensure that the infrastructure and knowledge generated by the project are effectively utilized. Sokeye specifically urged UI to join forces in establishing a center of excellence, which would serve as a valuable resource base for addressing flooding issues, waste management, urban planning, and the application of digital solutions.

The proposed center of excellence is anticipated to offer short courses on flood management and mitigation, and would also provide expert advice to other African countries. Significantly, the IUFMP is the sole project of its kind being financed by the World Bank in Africa, making the potential collaboration with UI an invaluable opportunity to share expertise and best practices with neighboring nations.

Sokeye also highlighted a successful partnership between UI and the IUFMP in 2021, when UI students were invited to contribute innovative ideas for flood mitigation. The World Bank experts were highly impressed by the students' submissions, further emphasizing UI's capacity for collaboration and problem-solving.

Representing UI, Prof. Ezekiel Ayoola, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Administration, expressed the university's deep appreciation for collaborative initiatives between academia and external stakeholders. Prof. Ayoola underscored the mutually beneficial relationship established between the IUFMP and UI's Department of Civil Engineering, which has been involved in quality control efforts for the project. He further reiterated UI's strong commitment to fostering collaborations between the academic community and external partners, emphasizing the availability of a pool of experts who could contribute to the proposed center of excellence.

The potential collaboration between the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project and the University of Ibadan holds great promise in addressing the challenges of flooding, waste management, urban planning, and digital solutions. By working together to establish a center of excellence, both entities can leverage their collective expertise to develop innovative solutions and provide valuable insights to not only Ibadan but also to other African countries facing similar issues.