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By Gloria Ikibah

Natural disasters destroy between $700 billion and $800 billion worth of infrastructure globally every year, with the wider economic impact estimated to be about seven times higher.

The Director General of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), Amit Prothi, stated this while addressing international journalists covering the BRICS meetings in New Delhi, India.

Prothi called for stronger investment in disaster-resilient infrastructure as climate change increases the frequency and severity of extreme weather events.

He said. “On average, we lose about $700 to $800 billion of infrastructure every year. That’s only the direct damage. The economic cost of that damage is roughly seven times higher”.

He cited wildfires in Los Angeles, floods, earthquakes and cyclones in different parts of the world as examples of disasters causing increasingly severe damage to infrastructure and placing additional pressure on national economies.

According to him, governments need to have a clearer understanding of the risks facing critical infrastructure and ensure that resilience is incorporated into planning and construction before disasters occur.

Naijablitznews.com reports that CDRI was launched by India at the United Nations in New York in 2019 and has since grown from 24 founding members to 70 members, with the Philippines expected to become the 71st.

Its membership cuts across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas and the Pacific and includes multilateral institutions such as the World Bank and regional development banks.

“The coalition was created to bring practices, knowledge and experiences together so that countries can better understand and address the growing complexities of disaster risks,” Prothi said.

India remains the permanent co-chair of the coalition, while the second co-chair rotates every two years. Previous co-chairs have included the United Kingdom, the United States and France, while India and Brazil currently lead the organisation.

Prothi explained that CDRI does not directly finance infrastructure projects but works with governments to ensure that resilience is considered when infrastructure is planned and designed.

“We are the chilli in the soup,” he said, using an analogy to explain CDRI’s role.

“When countries build roads, power systems or telecommunications networks, we help them understand how those investments can withstand future risks from climate change and disasters”, he added.

He said changing climate patterns meant that governments can no longer rely solely on traditional infrastructure standards and building codes based on past experiences.

“You may not have experienced floods before, but patterns are changing. The question is how you prepare your infrastructure for those future risks,” he said.
Critical infrastructure at risk
Telecommunications, power and transport systems are among the key areas receiving attention from the coalition because of their importance during and after disasters.

Recalling his experience during Nepal’s devastating 2015 earthquake, Prothi said the failure of telecommunications infrastructure demonstrated how critical communication networks become when disasters strike.

“I was in Kathmandu during the earthquake and could send a brief message to my family. Others couldn’t contact their loved ones because telecommunications infrastructure had broken down.

“Communication is becoming increasingly critical during disasters,” he said.

CDRI is also working with governments to assess risks facing electricity networks and transport infrastructure and to incorporate risk data into infrastructure planning.

The coalition has increasingly become involved in major international discussions on disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation and resilient infrastructure, including the G20, BRICS, COP climate conferences and United Nations platforms.

During India’s G20 presidency, CDRI supported the establishment of a Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilient Infrastructure Working Group. The initiative continued under Brazil’s G20 presidency and has remained part of wider discussions on climate adaptation and resilience.

“As global conversations move increasingly toward adaptation and resilience, the relevance of disaster-resilient infrastructure is growing,” he said.

The CDRI DG, also stressed that resilience should not end with disaster preparedness and prevention, arguing that countries must have systems that allow them to recover quickly when disasters occur.

“The speed of recovery matters. The longer it takes countries to rebuild, the greater the impact on communities and national economies,” he said.

He said the coalition was exploring innovative financing options, including insurance and private-sector participation, to enable countries to mobilise funds for reconstruction more quickly after disasters.
CDRI turns to data, technology
The coalition has also developed a global risk database designed to estimate infrastructure losses across countries and identify vulnerabilities in different sectors.

Prothi said Brazil records average annual infrastructure losses of about $13 billion, while losses across Africa are estimated at a similar level.

The database enables governments to identify infrastructure vulnerabilities and develop resilience measures based on the specific risks facing different sectors.

“Different infrastructure sectors face different risks. Power transmission systems, for example, may be highly vulnerable to cyclones, while buildings may face greater risks from earthquakes,” he said.

Looking ahead, CDRI plans to develop dedicated programmes for Africa, small island developing states, mountain regions and cities, where the effects of climate change and natural disasters are becoming increasingly complex.

Prothi also identified artificial intelligence, satellite data and advanced modelling as emerging tools that could strengthen early warning systems and improve disaster preparedness.

“There is an incredible amount of work under way on using data and predictive models. This will be one of the most important conversations over the coming years,” he said.

He called for greater participation by ASEAN countries, noting that nations in the region had developed considerable experience in dealing with earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and other natural hazards.

“The expertise that countries such as those in ASEAN have developed can benefit the rest of the world, while they also gain from shared global experiences,” he said.

Prothi said stronger international cooperation would be essential as countries confront increasingly unpredictable climate and disaster risks, with resilient infrastructure becoming a critical part of efforts to protect lives, economies and essential services.

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Niger’s junta chief appointed a new chief of staff, state TV reported on Friday, after a thwarted army mutiny last month shook his grip on power.

Supporters of the military government put down the attempted uprising with the help of Russian mercenaries, but not before intense fighting in the capital.

Disgruntled soldiers attacked several sensitive sites in Niamey and hunkered down in a key military base at the airport.

“By a decree signed on September 11, 2026, General Abdourahamane Tiani has appointed Brigadier General Mamane Sani Kiaou as chief of staff of the armed forces,” state TV reported a statement as saying.

Kiaou, who previously served as army chief of staff, replaces General Moussa Salaou Barmou.

The statement did not say why Barmou had been dismissed.

Niger has been run by General Tiani since a coup in July 2023 that toppled the elected president Mohamed Bazoum, who has been detained ever since.

Tiani also appointed General Abdourahmane Abou Zataka to succeed Kiaou as army chief of staff, the statement added.

Described as a “seasoned field commander” by associates, Kiaou has led a fight against jihadist groups in Niger’s western Tillaberi region and in the southeastern Diffa area.

Nigerien state media reported that he recently concluded a tour of the country’s key military garrisons aimed at “restoring cohesion among the troops.”

Kiaou also led negotiations that resulted in the withdrawal of French and US forces from Niger following the July 2023 coup.

Tiani has moved the country closer to Russia and away from Western partners, notably former colonial power France.
State television had previously broadcast accusations that France was behind last month’s uprising.

AFP

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Dangote Petroleum Refinery has raised its Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) gantry price by ₦85 per litre, pushing the wholesale price from ₦1,265 to ₦1,350 and signalling fresh upward pressure on petrol prices across the country. The latest adjustment, according to Petroleumprice.ng, represents a 6.7 per cent increase and comes as international crude oil prices and petroleum product replacement costs continue to climb.

The development is particularly significant as the new Dangote price is now above the current PMS landing-cost benchmark of ₦1,311 per litre, further complicating pricing decisions for depot owners and independent marketers.

The refinery had earlier maintained its Lagos gantry price at ₦1,265 per litre despite rising international market prices. However, the renewed surge in crude oil and replacement costs appears to have forced a reassessment of its pricing position.

The impact is already being felt in the wider market, with depot marketers across the country adjusting their prices and stock positions in anticipation of higher replacement costs.

Market operators said the pressure is also spreading beyond Lagos, with similar concerns emerging across major coastal trading hubs, including Warri, Port Harcourt and Calabar.

However, actual depot prices vary from one supplier to another, depending on factors such as available stock, product source and prevailing market conditions.

The new ₦1,350 per litre ex-gantry price effectively establishes Dangote Refinery’s latest wholesale reference point, putting further pressure on depot owners and marketers, whose next pricing decisions will largely depend on how crude oil prices and international product replacement costs evolve.

With replacement costs already elevated, the latest Dangote adjustment could therefore translate into another round of price reviews across the downstream petroleum market if the international crude rally persists.

Recall that global crude oil prices climbed above $100 per barrel, reaching their highest level since July, as escalating military tensions in the Middle East raise fresh fears of disruptions to crude production and international oil shipments.

Brent crude, the global benchmark against which Nigeria’s crude is priced, rose 2.8 per cent on Wednesday to break above the $100 per barrel mark, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) gained 2.9 per cent to $95.70 per barrel.

The latest rally has pushed both benchmarks more than 60 per cent higher than their levels at the beginning of the year, increasing concerns that a prolonged energy shock could drive up the cost of petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, electricity generation, transportation and manufactured goods across the world.

The surge was triggered by a fresh escalation in the Middle East, following reports of strikes involving Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and another vessel near Kharg Island, one of Iran’s major oil export centres.

The development came amid reports of attempted missile attacks on a US Navy warship, raising concerns that the conflict could widen and threaten key oil-producing and shipping areas. (The Sun, but headline reworked)