Climate change and health in Nigeria
With 173 million people, Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa. As the continent’s main exporter of oil, Nigeria faces the challenge of balancing global energy demands and domestic economic stability with the need to address climate and environmental considerations.
The impacts of climate change in Nigeria could include rising temperatures, more intense and frequent extreme weather events and sea level rise. For the population this could result in increased water and food insecurity, higher exposure to heat stress and ultraviolet radiation, changes in infectious and vector-borne disease transmission patterns and an increased threat to coastal communities facing sea level rise. Adequate adaptation and mitigation could help to protect public health, development, security, and land and water resources from the potential threats posed by climate change.
CURRENT AND FUTURE HEALTH RISKS DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Human health is profoundly affected by weather and climate. Climate change threatens to exacerbate today’s health problems – deaths from extreme weather events, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, infectious diseases and malnutrition – whilst undermining water and food supplies, infrastructure, health systems and social protection systems.
CIFOR