Recently in the news for a strategic partnership with Jaza Energy to deploy solar-powered hubs at 250 towers in underserved communities across Nigeria, IHS Nigeria, a subsidiary of the IHS Towers group, has now made headlines with another solar-related contribution: the donation of four solar-powered boreholes to support victims of recent floods in Maiduguri, Borno State.
According to reports, the flooding took place in September this year after the collapse of the Alau Dam on 10 September.
The donation, which will be delivered through the United Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF) emergency flood response, will help address the most urgent needs of flood-affected populations in Borno State, especially those displaced following flooding in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Jere and Konduga local government associations.
The response by IHS Nigeria and UNICEF will help mitigate the impact of the flood and the risk of waterborne diseases for nearly 20,000 people, including vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and young mothers, children, and patients visiting health centres.
The four solar-powered boreholes donated by IHS Nigeria will be constructed in displaced peoples’ settlements and other temporary displacement sites.
This will include in densely populated areas without access to a safe water source, at schools to help facilitate the early return of children to classes, and at health centers, which are also used as outpatient therapeutic programme sites and provide nutrition services and counselling for pregnant women, young mothers, and malnourished children.
The core telecoms business of IHS has also been included in its ongoing humanitarian efforts in partnership with UNICEF. Under UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited (GenU) Project, designed to improve digital learning in Nigeria, IHS Nigeria has helped provide internet connectivity to 800 educational institutions between 2022 and 2024.
Through a collaborative partnership with UNICEF that began in 2019, IHS Nigeria has invested more than US$4 million in various initiatives, including GenU 9ja, COVID-19 interventions, oxygen plant installations, WASH initiatives and school connectivity.
