….As expert calls for climate-resilient action to curb displacement

By Elizabeth Osayande

A global report on internal displacement by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, IDMC, has revealed that Nigeria recorded 121,000 displacements linked to disasters, especially floods, while 295,000 displaced persons were due to violent conflicts in 2024.

This comes as an Associate at the United Nations Global Centre for Climate Mobility, Lukmon Akintola, warned that climate shocks are fast becoming the leading driver of internal displacement and violent conflict in Nigeria, especially in vulnerable communities already grappling with socio-economic instability, hence the need for climate resilient infrastructure to curb the trend.

Akintola, a former research lead at the Migration Youth and Children Platform, said worsening climate conditions, such as floods, drought, rising temperatures, and water scarcity, are degrading climate-sensitive natural resources – such as land and water, intensifying existing grievances and causing fierce competition for survival, particularly between farmers and herders in Northern Nigeria.

Reacting to the IDMC report, the climate expert in an exclusive conversation with our correspondent lamented that shrinking rainfall patterns, extreme heat, and floods lead to land degradation and water scarcity in Nigeria.

Akintola, stressed that “this is pushing herders and farmers into deadly clashes over diminishing resources, while also impacting people’s livelihoods in other parts of the country.”

To mitigate the rising tide of displacement and conflict due to climate change, the researcher stressed the need for Nigeria to invest in climate-resilient infrastructure and adopt a whole-of-government approach in its climate response.

According to him, “Climate change is not just the business of the Ministry of Environment. It affects multiple sectors, including security, agriculture, health, and urban planning. All relevant ministries and departments must be meaningfully involved in our mitigation and adaptation efforts.”

Commenting on the recent floods in Niger State, which displaced over 3,000 people and killed more than 200, the climate advocate stressed the importance of early warning and preparedness systems.

He called for urgent investments in disaster risk reduction strategies, improved data systems, and early warning mechanisms tailored to local needs.