In the parched fields of northern Nigeria, once-reliable rainfall patterns have become unpredictable. In coastal communities of the Niger Delta, rising sea levels gnaw away at farmlands and homes.
Across the country, the story is the same: climate change is no longer a distant theory but a lived reality shaping the lives of millions.
According to the National Meteorological Agency (NiMet), average temperatures in Nigeria have risen by 1.6°C since the 1960s, with extreme heat waves and flooding now occurring with greater frequency. The World Bank warns that climate impacts could push millions more Nigerians into poverty if urgent measures are not taken.
Agriculture, which employs about 70 percent of Nigeria’s rural population, is at the heart of the crisis. Unpredictable rainfall has reduced yields of staples like maize, sorghum, and millet.
According to the National Meteorological Agency (NiMet), average temperatures in Nigeria have risen by 1.6°C since the 1960s, with extreme heat waves and flooding now occurring with greater frequency. The World Bank warns that climate impacts could push millions more Nigerians into poverty if urgent measures are not taken.
Agriculture, which employs about 70 percent of Nigeria’s rural population, is at the heart of the crisis. Unpredictable rainfall has reduced yields of staples like maize, sorghum, and millet.
Desertification in the north forces pastoralists farther south, igniting conflicts with farmers over shrinking resources.
In the south, saltwater intrusion threatens rice production, while flooding has wiped out entire harvests in states like Anambra and Kogi.
Speaking at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, admitted that “climate change is the single biggest threat to our food security and national stability.”
Speaking at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, admitted that “climate change is the single biggest threat to our food security and national stability.”
Yet adaptation efforts remain underfunded, with less than 20 percent of Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) financed to date.
Local communities are not standing idle. From the Great Green Wall project battling desertification to grassroots women cooperatives in Ebonyi adopting climate-smart farming, Nigerians are innovating to survive. Civil society groups such as the Climate and Sustainable Development Network (CSDevNet) continue to press for inclusive policies and climate justice.
International partners, too, play a role. The UNDP’s Climate Promise programme supports Nigeria in building resilience, while the African Development Bank’s Desert-to-Power initiative seeks to deliver renewable energy to off-grid communities hardest hit by climate impacts.
Still, gaps persist. Experts like Dr. Olumide Abimbola of the Africa Policy Research Institute warn that “unless Nigeria scales up investment in renewable energy, irrigation, and early warning systems, climate change could unravel decades of development gains.”
For NaijaAgroNet, the narrative is clear: climate change is not just an environmental issue, it is a human survival challenge, deeply tied to food, security, and justice. Nigeria’s ability to adapt will determine whether its millions of smallholder farmers thrive or collapse under the weight of a changing climate.
As the United Nations emphasizes the urgency of climate action, Nigeria stands at a crossroads. Bridging the adaptation gap is not just about meeting global commitments but about safeguarding the livelihoods and dignity of its people.
Local communities are not standing idle. From the Great Green Wall project battling desertification to grassroots women cooperatives in Ebonyi adopting climate-smart farming, Nigerians are innovating to survive. Civil society groups such as the Climate and Sustainable Development Network (CSDevNet) continue to press for inclusive policies and climate justice.
International partners, too, play a role. The UNDP’s Climate Promise programme supports Nigeria in building resilience, while the African Development Bank’s Desert-to-Power initiative seeks to deliver renewable energy to off-grid communities hardest hit by climate impacts.
For NaijaAgroNet, the narrative is clear: climate change is not just an environmental issue, it is a human survival challenge, deeply tied to food, security, and justice. Nigeria’s ability to adapt will determine whether its millions of smallholder farmers thrive or collapse under the weight of a changing climate.
As the United Nations emphasizes the urgency of climate action, Nigeria stands at a crossroads. Bridging the adaptation gap is not just about meeting global commitments but about safeguarding the livelihoods and dignity of its people.
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