BRIDGE Project Takes Awareness to Streets of Jos

On Saturday, January 17, 2026, the streets of Jos came alive with colour, music and purpose as community members, civil society actors, and first responders converged for an awareness walk under the BRIDGE Project, implemented by Crest Research Development Institute (CRADI), with funding support from FCDO’s SPRiNG programme.

The walk was designed to draw public attention to the growing link between climate change, resource pressure and local conflict, while also promoting peaceful, community-led solutions.

The awareness walk, which moved through strategic parts of the city (Old Airport Junction- Secretariat Junction), attracted strong participation from volunteers of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps, youth groups, and several media organisations. Their presence helped ensure safety, order and wide amplification of the project’s core messages.

At the heart of the walk was a simple but urgent message: climate stressors such as water scarcity, land degradation, and erratic rainfall are no longer abstract environmental issues. They are daily realities that intensify competition over land and water, deepen tensions between communities, and threaten peaceful coexistence if left unaddressed.

The activity forms part of the BRIDGE Project’s wider effort to strengthen local capacities for climate resilience and peaceful resource management in climate-vulnerable and conflict-affected communities in Plateau and Benue States. Through creative and participatory approaches, the project seeks to help communities understand how climate change fuels conflict risks, while also highlighting local mechanisms that can prevent escalation and promote dialogue.

Beyond raising awareness, the walk also serves as a call to action. Participants were encouraged to engage with existing community resilience structures such as early warning systems and local dialogue platforms, which play a critical role in identifying tensions early and resolving disputes before they turn violent. Special attention was given to inclusion, with messaging tailored to reach women, youth, and persons with disabilities, whose voices are often underrepresented in peace and climate conversations.

Media coverage of the event further extended the reach of the campaign, helping to take the conversation beyond the streets of Jos and into homes, offices, and policy spaces.

Speaking at the event, Samuel Emelis, Project Manager of the Bridge project, noted that public visibility is a key part of building collective ownership of climate resilience and peacebuilding efforts. He further stressed the need for communities to adapt to the changing dynamics of climate change to be better positioned to cope with its stressors and impact more effectively.

Also speaking, Dashe Sonia Kyenmi, Programme Manager at PODBETA NG, explained that the initiative was aimed at raising awareness about the impact of human and industrial activities on the environment. She noted that beyond highlighting these challenges, the focus was on identifying practical ways to improve environmental outcomes and mitigate existing damage. According to her, Bridge the Gap is designed to close the disconnect between knowledge and lived realities, ensuring that information translates into action.

Following the successful Jos outing, the BRIDGE Project is set to continue its awareness-raising activities in Buruku, Benue State. The next stop will deepen community engagements through creative performances and dialogue. Reinforcing the message that peaceful cooperation over natural resources is possible, even in the face of climate pressure.

As the Jos leg of the walk concludes, one message remains clear: addressing climate-driven conflict risks requires informed communities, inclusive participation, and sustained local action. With each step taken in Jos, the BRIDGE Project reaffirms its commitment to building pathways towards resilience, peace and shared responsibility.