A recent by Agora Policy has outlined several challenges that the nation may face, especially in the middle of climate change and cutting carbon emissions.
In a report released on November 5, with support from by MacArthur Foundation, it noted that “climate change is increasing hunger, poverty, disease-burden, migration, conflict, and insecurity in Nigeria. It is damaging infrastructure, changing Nigeria’s coastlines, fueling desertification, producing water scarcity, facilitating erosion and resulting in the loss of revenue for states and the national government.”
The reports titled ‘Climate Change and Socio-Economic Development in Nigeria’, noted that climate change has the potential to cause serious harm to the social and economic development of the country.
“Climate change is compounding poverty challenges in Nigeria and impeding the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the country,” it noted. “Agriculture is one of the sectors most sensitive to global warming in Nigeria and a major source of climate-induced economic loss in the country.”
In relation to water scarcity in the country, the report noted that climate change will worsen water-scarcity challenges in the country, which lends credence to reports done on the impact of climate change in Nigeria.
The report commended the energy transition going on in the world, emphasising that if the nation fails to act, it could lead to a financial problem of finance in the oil rich nation.
“The global transition from a high-carbon economy to a low-carbon economy is well underway and will likely make Nigeria poorer unless the country acts strategically,” it warned.
Some recommendation from the report includes “Strengthening national climate policy frameworks; deepening institutional capacity for climate action and the legal framework; ensureing adequate climate funding; and a just and fair energy transition.”
