Deadline: 09-Apr-2026
UNICEF Nigeria invites Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to support community-based public health emergency preparedness and response. The initiative focuses on disease prevention, early detection, risk communication, and improving access to essential health and WASH services for vulnerable populations. Selected organizations will strengthen surveillance, behavior change, and community engagement to reduce outbreaks and improve health outcomes.
Overview of the Opportunity
The UNICEF Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response initiative in Nigeria supports Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to strengthen community-level health systems. The programme targets epidemic-prone diseases including cholera, diphtheria, measles, cerebrospinal meningitis, and Lassa fever.
Key goals include:
- Enhancing community-based preparedness and response mechanisms
- Implementing interventions to reduce disease impact
- Strengthening risk communication, community engagement, and infodemic management
- Improving early warning systems, surveillance, reporting, and referral mechanisms
- Expanding access to essential health and WASH services for vulnerable populations
This initiative responds to persistent outbreaks in Nigeria, particularly in communities with limited healthcare access, low immunization coverage, and poor water and sanitation infrastructure. Children, women, and marginalized populations are disproportionately affected.
Who is Eligible?
Eligible participants are:
- Registered Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) operating in Nigeria
- Organizations with experience in community health, WASH, risk communication, or outbreak response
- Groups capable of implementing community-level interventions in collaboration with health authorities
Priority considerations include:
- Experience in epidemic-prone regions
- Proven capacity for community engagement and behavior change interventions
- Ability to support data collection, surveillance, and monitoring
Why It Matters
Nigeria faces recurring public health emergencies that strain health systems. This programme strengthens community resilience by:
- Reducing disease transmission through prevention and early detection
- Promoting timely healthcare-seeking behavior
- Combating misinformation and improving community trust
- Enhancing access to vaccination, WASH, and essential health services
- Supporting coordination between communities, CSOs, and government health authorities
By targeting vulnerable populations, the programme aims to reduce morbidity and mortality during outbreaks while maintaining routine health services.
Key Activities and Supported Interventions
Funded projects will focus on:
- Community Preparedness and Response
- Strengthening local emergency response structures
- Training community volunteers and leaders in outbreak management
- Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
- Promoting hygiene practices such as handwashing and sanitation
- Supporting vaccination campaigns and outreach activities
- Risk Communication and Community Engagement
- Conducting awareness campaigns to reduce misinformation
- Engaging communities in planning and decision-making
- Surveillance and Early Warning Systems
- Improving reporting, referral, and monitoring mechanisms
- Collecting and analyzing community-level health data
- Access to Essential Services
- Expanding health service delivery, including WASH interventions
- Strengthening infection prevention at household and community levels
How to Apply / How it Works
- Check eligibility – Ensure your CSO meets UNICEF criteria for health and WASH interventions.
- Develop proposal – Include project objectives, target populations, interventions, expected outcomes, and budget.
- Submit application – Follow UNICEF Nigeria’s submission guidelines and deadlines.
- Assessment process – Applications are evaluated based on impact, feasibility, and alignment with community health priorities.
- Implementation and monitoring – Selected organizations implement activities and report results through UNICEF monitoring frameworks.
Tips for a successful application:
- Highlight prior experience in community health or WASH initiatives
- Clearly define measurable outcomes and community impact
- Demonstrate collaboration with government health authorities
- Include plans for sustainability and scale-up of interventions
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying without prior experience in health or WASH programming
- Failing to demonstrate community engagement strategies
- Overlooking alignment with UNICEF’s public health priorities
- Ignoring monitoring, reporting, or data collection requirements
FAQ
1. Who can apply for this funding?
Registered Civil Society Organizations operating in Nigeria with experience in public health or WASH.
2. Which diseases are the focus of this programme?
Cholera, diphtheria, measles, cerebrospinal meningitis, and Lassa fever.
3. Can individuals apply?
No, only registered CSOs are eligible.
4. What types of activities are funded?
Community preparedness, health promotion, risk communication, surveillance, and access to essential health and WASH services.
5. How are applications evaluated?
Based on feasibility, impact, alignment with UNICEF priorities, and community engagement strategies.
6. Are partnerships with government health authorities required?
Yes, coordination with local and national health authorities is strongly encouraged.
7. Is monitoring and reporting mandatory?
Yes, organizations must track and report outcomes as per UNICEF frameworks.
Conclusion
The UNICEF Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response programme in Nigeria empowers CSOs to strengthen community resilience, reduce disease impact, and improve health outcomes. By funding interventions in prevention, early detection, risk communication, and access to essential services, the initiative ensures vulnerable populations, particularly children and women, are protected during outbreaks and public health emergencies.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.