The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), in collaboration with international and local partners, has launched a data-driven crisis preparedness framework leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to anticipate, prevent, and respond to conflicts and environmental shocks in the oil-rich region.

Event:

• Occasion: Niger Delta Scenario Planning Workshop on Resilience
• Location: Port Harcourt, Rivers State
• Duration: Three days
• Theme: “From Risk to Resilience: Building a Future-Ready Niger Delta”
• Participants: Over 100 stakeholders from public and private sectors, academia, civil society, and media

Key Partners:

• JICA: Japan International Cooperation Agency
• GIZ: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH
• OSPRE: Office for Strategic Preparedness and Resilience
• FFP: The Fund for Peace
• EPSG: ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance Project (EU & BMZ co-financed)

AI Tools Introduced:

• Fragile States Index (FSI)
• State Resilience Index (SRI)
• Crisis Sensitivity Simulator (CSS)
• Purpose: Forecast risks, strengthen institutional response, and improve governance

Objectives & Impact:

• Shift from reactive crisis management to anticipatory governance
• Build resilience across communities, institutions, and sectors
• Position Niger Delta as a testbed for data-driven peacebuilding in West Africa
• Produce a Niger Delta Resilience Strategy, Scenario Planning Report, and a replicable methodology for integration into state-level emergency management systems

Key Statements:

• Dr. David Udofia (PIND):
  • “The Niger Delta’s future depends on our ability to anticipate challenges rather than merely react to them.”
  • Emphasized the role of data, foresight, and partnerships in transforming risk into opportunity.
• Nate Haken (FFP):
  • Highlighted integration of technology with governance for stronger regional peace architecture.
  • Stressed that collaboration among government, academia, and civil society is key to sustainable peace.

Participant Involvement:

• Agencies included NEMA, SEMA, NiMet, HYPREP, Nigeria Police Force, NSCDC, and state ministries of environment and agriculture
• Engaged in AI-assisted scenario building and “red teaming” exercises to identify policy gaps and co-create adaptive resilience strategies

Significance:

• Strengthens early warning systems and links them with proactive responses
• Encourages innovative, technology-driven approaches to security, climate risks, and socio-economic stability