Former Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, will lead a new multi-country initiative aimed at strengthening health financing systems and climate resilience across West Africa.
The programme, led by Future Perspectives in partnership with the Africa Centre for Future Perspectives, seeks to generate evidence, increase public awareness and guide policy responses on the growing intersection between climate change and health financing in Africa.
Under the initiative, Osinbajo will oversee a comprehensive multi-sector evaluation in five West African countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone.
The effort aims to advance domestic financing solutions that strengthen African health systems as the region confronts the escalating effects of climate change.
Across Sub-Saharan Africa, governments are under growing pressure to expand health infrastructure while managing rising debt burdens and frequent climate-related shocks. These pressures have contributed to increasing food insecurity, the spread of vector-borne diseases and greater strain on already fragile health systems.
Speaking previously on the issue, Osinbajo noted that the impact of climate change will vary across regions but will disproportionately affect vulnerable communities in developing economies.
“The poor and vulnerable will be first to suffer and worst hit by the effects of climate change,” he said, warning that climate pressures could trigger cascading challenges across sectors including health, shelter and security.
Experts say the situation underscores the urgent need for coordinated multi-sector responses and innovative health financing strategies capable of building resilience across African countries.
As part of the initiative, Osinbajo will convene a high-level consultation in Sierra Leone from March 11 to 13, 2026.
The meeting will be held alongside Julius Bio, President of Sierra Leone and current Chair of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government.
Senior ministers and national leaders responsible for finance, health and climate policy are expected to participate in the discussions aimed at advancing climate-health financing strategies across the region.
The consultations are expected to shape future policy directions and support African governments in building stronger health systems capable of responding to climate-driven risks.
