Climate Change Adaptation in Nigeria: Strategies, Initiatives, and Practices

This research paper by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines climate change adaptation in Nigeria, highlighting the country's high vulnerability to disasters and the gap between national policy frameworks and local implementation. It advocates for a transition toward Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) to improve resilience and economic stability.

• Nigeria is among the ten most vulnerable countries globally to climate change, facing significant risks from drought, flooding, sea level rise, and erosion. These factors contribute to food insecurity, forced displacement, and conflict.
• Climate-driven disasters have severe health and economic consequences. In 2021, malaria caused 200,000 deaths in Nigeria, representing 32% of global malaria deaths. Econometric projections suggest Nigeria could lose between USD 100 billion and USD 460 billion by 2050 if it fails to adapt adequately.
• Agricultural vulnerability is high because the sector is largely rain-fed, with only 1% of farmland being irrigated. This makes crop yields highly sensitive to climate variations.
• There is a significant disconnect between Nigeria's formal commitments, such as being a signatory to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, and the actual implementation of projects to reduce vulnerability.
• Adaptation governance is heavily centralized. While the government has a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) framework, most projects are developed and delivered by the Federal Ministry of Environment, and sub-national adaptation efforts are often poorly funded and lack skilled personnel.
• Nigeria relies heavily on external funding for climate action, with more than 50% of adaptation and mitigation activities financed by foreign loans, aid, and grants, primarily from multilateral financial institutions like the World Bank and AfDB.
• The paper proposes Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) as a sustainable approach to ensure climate actions are inclusive, gender-responsive, and aligned with the needs of local communities, which could provide a return of up to six dollars for every dollar invested.

APA

Chukwueloka, & Okereke, C. (2022). Climate Change Adaptation in Nigeria: Strategies, Initiatives, and Practices. Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/climate-change-adaptation-in-nigeria-strategies-initiatives-and-practices

Chicago

Chukwueloka, and Chukwumerije Okereke. Climate Change Adaptation in Nigeria: Strategies, Initiatives, and Practices. Africa Policy Research Institute, 2022. https://afripoli.org/climate-change-adaptation-in-nigeria-strategies-initiatives-and-practices.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chukwueloka |last2=Okereke |first2=Chukwumerije |title=Climate Change Adaptation in Nigeria: Strategies, Initiatives, and Practices |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=10 October 2022 |url=https://afripoli.org/climate-change-adaptation-in-nigeria-strategies-initiatives-and-practices |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chukwueloka2022climate, author = {Chukwueloka and Okereke, Chukwumerije}, title = {{Climate Change Adaptation in Nigeria: Strategies, Initiatives, and Practices}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2022}, month = oct, url = {https://afripoli.org/climate-change-adaptation-in-nigeria-strategies-initiatives-and-practices}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }