When Climate-Health Crisis in Nigeria Can no Longer be Ignored

Climate change is no longer a distant environmental concern confined to scientific conferences and global summits. It has become a public health emergency unfolding daily across Nigeria, where rising temperatures, devastating floods, prolonged droughts, and worsening air pollution are placing millions of lives at risk. From increasing cases of malaria and cholera to malnutrition, respiratory illnesses and mental health disorders, the country’s changing climate is reshaping the nation’s health landscape in ways that demand urgent action. Ayodeji Ake writes

In an emotional 42-minute virtual conversation with THISDAY, Jide, a Lagos resident who commutes daily from the mainland to his workplace on the Island, recounted the devastating toll the recent flooding has taken on his family and finances.

Already burdened by the country’s harsh economic realities, Jide said the disaster has pushed his household to the brink. Amid the crisis, one of his daughters fell ill and had to be admitted to a hospital, compounding the emotional and financial strain.

“The reality of Nigeria’s economic hardship is no longer reflected only in rising prices or shrinking salaries,” he said quietly. “For families like mine, it is now measured by the heartbreaking choices we are forced to make just to survive.”

Despite paying nearly ₦3 million in annual rent, Jide said his family has been displaced after floodwaters submerged their home and rendered the surrounding roads impassable.

“I pay almost ₦3 million every year for my apartment, yet today my family has nowhere to sleep,” he lamented. “Our house is flooded. The roads leading to it are completely underwater, and the entire neighbourhood is submerged. We simply cannot return home.”

With no relatives to accommodate them, Jide said he had no choice but to move his wife and three children into a hotel so the children could continue attending school.

“My wife has to stay with them because there is nowhere else they can go,” he said. “This is not a serviced apartment, so we still have to pay for food every day, in addition to the hotel bills, transportation and other expenses.”

Fighting back emotion, he asked, “Where is the money supposed to come from?”

According to him, he was already struggling to keep up with school fees and other household expenses before the flood struck.

“I have three children in school. I have rent to pay. The schools are not waiting for anyone, and neither are the bills. Now, I have an unplanned hotel bill and a daughter in the hospital. Every day brings a new expense.”

Responding to suggestions that he should simply find another apartment, Jide said such advice ignores the reality facing many Nigerians.

“People say, ‘Get another place.’ But how do I do that overnight? With what salary? With what savings? The cost of living keeps rising, but incomes have remained the same. One emergency is enough to throw an entire family into crisis.”

He stressed that his experience is far from unique, describing it as the daily reality of many hardworking Nigerians.

“This is bigger than my story. There are countless families who pay their rent, work hard and meet their responsibilities, yet one flood or one unexpected emergency is enough to leave them homeless.”

For now, Jide said he is not asking for comfort or luxury.

“All I want is a safe place where my children can sleep without worrying about the next flood or the next bill. I am exhausted. I am frustrated. More than anything, I am worried not just about today, but about what tomorrow will bring.”

National Forecast

He is just one of the numerous victims of the abnormal rainfall forecast.

Recall that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecast normal to above-normal rainfall across many parts of Nigeria during the 2026 rainy season, with some states expected to experience a longer-than-usual wet season alongside generally warmer temperatures. According to the agency, these weather conditions are likely to heighten the risk of flooding, particularly in communities that are already vulnerable due to their geographical location or inadequate drainage infrastructure.

Similarly, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), in its 2026 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO), has identified several communities and river basins that are at significant risk of flooding. The agency has urged residents, state governments and other stakeholders to implement proactive measures and strengthen disaster preparedness before the onset of peak rainfall to minimise the impact of potential flood disasters.

In Lagos State, the government has also projected above-normal rainfall for 2026. The rainy season is expected to commence earlier than usual and extend until early December, increasing the likelihood of flash floods, particularly in low-lying communities and areas with poor drainage systems. Authorities have therefore advised residents to remain vigilant and adhere to flood prevention and safety measures throughout the rainy season.

Experts warn that the greatest flood risk is expected during the peak rainy months of July through September. Areas most susceptible include floodplains along major rivers such as the Niger and Benue, as well as low-lying urban centres with inadequate drainage infrastructure. Cities such as Lagos, Port Harcourt and other coastal communities are among those considered especially vulnerable to severe flooding if preventive measures are not effectively implemented.

Health Risks

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), climate change is expected to cause an estimated 250,000 additional deaths globally every year between 2030 and 2050 from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress alone. For Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and one of the countries most vulnerable to climate impacts, the implications are even more severe.

Speaking during the NAS Media Roundtable in Lagos, Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Chemistry at the University of Lagos, Prof. Babajide Alo, described climate change as one of the greatest threats confronting humanity today, warning that its consequences extend far beyond environmental degradation.

“Climate change poses an existential challenge for Nigeria’s sustainable development, threatening human lives, food security, public health, livelihoods, national security and economic stability,” he said, noting that rising temperatures, coastal erosion, flooding and desertification continue to endanger communities across the country’s six geopolitical zones.

Across Nigeria, the evidence is becoming impossible to ignore.

The devastating floods that have repeatedly displaced thousands of families in states such as Kogi, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Borno and Benue have also contaminated water sources, creating fertile conditions for outbreaks of cholera, typhoid fever and other waterborne diseases. In northern Nigeria, prolonged drought and desertification continue to reduce agricultural productivity, worsening food insecurity and malnutrition, particularly among children.

Health experts say rising temperatures are equally fuelling the spread of disease-carrying mosquitoes into new locations, increasing the risk of malaria transmission while exposing vulnerable populations to heat exhaustion, dehydration and cardiovascular complications.

For elderly persons, pregnant women, children and people living with disabilities, the dangers are even greater.

Prof. Alo observed that climate change disproportionately affects society’s most vulnerable populations, many of whom lack adequate housing, healthcare and emergency support.

“There are several vulnerable populations experiencing climate change events around the world that continue to threaten their health and well-being. It is truly a crisis within a crisis,” he warned.

Beyond physical illness lies another silent emergency that receives far less attention—mental health.

Communities displaced by flooding, farmers who lose their harvests to drought, and families forced to abandon ancestral homes because of coastal erosion often experience anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

According to Prof. Alo, climate-related displacement and conflict have profound psychological consequences.

“The mental health effects include trauma among bereaved and displaced persons, while prolonged climate stress contributes to aggression, violence and social instability,” he explained.

Nigeria’s climate-health challenge is further complicated by rapid urbanisation.

Cities such as Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano continue to experience rising temperatures due to the urban heat island effect, while poor waste management, traffic emissions and industrial pollution reduce air quality, increasing cases of asthma, chronic respiratory diseases and other non-communicable illnesses.

Call for Decentralisation for Climate Action

Yet, despite these growing threats, experts argue that climate action in Nigeria remains heavily concentrated at the federal level, leaving states and local governments with limited capacity to respond effectively.

Prof. Alo noted that although Nigeria has developed important climate initiatives—including the National Climate Policy, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Great Green Wall project and the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP)—implementation at the subnational level remains weak.

“Most climate initiatives have focused at the federal level, while the impacts are borne mainly by states. This is a significant gap because climate resilience must be built from the grassroots,” he said.

Indeed, Nigeria’s latest Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), outlines ambitious commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, expand renewable energy, reduce gas flaring and integrate climate resilience into the health sector by delivering 2,000 climate-resilient primary healthcare facilities by 2030.

However, achieving these targets will require significant investment, political commitment and stronger collaboration among federal, state and local governments.

Climate scientists increasingly argue that adaptation—not merely mitigation—must become Nigeria’s immediate priority.

Communities need access to early warning systems, clean water, resilient healthcare facilities, sustainable agriculture, improved drainage infrastructure and climate-sensitive disease surveillance.

Advocacy for Public Education

Prof. Alo advocates a shift from top-down climate interventions to locally led adaptation, where communities are empowered to design and implement solutions based on indigenous knowledge and local realities.

“Communities face the most direct impacts of climate change. Their knowledge, participation and leadership are essential for building effective and lasting resilience,” he said.

He also recommends strengthening local governance, expanding climate education, increasing direct financing for community projects, promoting sustainable agriculture, restoring forests and wetlands, improving disaster preparedness and encouraging private-sector investment in climate resilience.

Experts believe the health sector itself must become climate-resilient.

Hospitals should be designed to withstand floods and extreme heat. Health workers require specialised training on climate-related diseases, while surveillance systems must improve to detect outbreaks linked to changing weather conditions.

Similarly, urban planners must incorporate climate resilience into housing, transportation and sanitation projects to reduce health risks.

For ordinary Nigerians, adaptation begins with simple but meaningful actions: planting trees, reducing waste burning, conserving water, supporting renewable energy and demanding stronger environmental governance from elected leaders.

Climate change is often described as an environmental problem, but its most devastating consequences are increasingly measured in hospital admissions, disease outbreaks, food shortages and lost lives.

As Nigeria pursues economic growth and sustainable development, experts insist that climate resilience must become central to national planning because a healthy economy cannot exist without healthy people.

Prof. Alo perhaps captured the urgency best when he reminded Nigerians that climate action is no longer optional.

“Empowering communities is not only a strategy for survival; it is a proactive way to build a more equitable and sustainable world. Each of us has a role to play.”

For Nigeria, the fight against climate change is no longer just about protecting forests, reducing carbon emissions or meeting international obligations. It is about protecting lives, safeguarding public health and securing a healthier future for generations yet unborn.