From scorching heat waves to erratic rainfall and devastating floods, Nigerian farmers are confronting a growing nightmare: climate change is pushing the country’s food systems to the brink.
Across rural communities, especially in the northern and south-eastern regions, farmers say their once-thriving fields are now shadows of its selves, cracked by drought, drowned by floods, and stalked by hunger.
“We expected a good harvest this year, but what we got was disappointment. The heat scorched our crops, and the rain didn’t stay long enough,” says Abdullahi Musa, a farmer from Jere in Borno State, one of the regions hardest hit by climate disruptions.
In Abia State, rice farmer Livinus Ayaele shared his heartbreak after investing over N2 million in cultivation—only for nature to turn its back.
“The sun dried everything. Then came the floods. I’ve never lost this much. Farming used to feed my family. Now, it’s draining us,” he lamented.
NiMet Forecast
Earlier in 2025, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) warned of delayed rainfall across key agricultural zones including Abia, Akwa Ibom, and Borno. Farmers were advised to adopt climate-smart practices such as moisture preservation, zero tillage, and supplementary irrigation. But many say they never got the message.
“We didn’t hear about the prediction,” Ayaele admitted. “If we had known, maybe we would have done things differently.”
catastrophic
The United Nations defines climate change as long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns often intensified by human activity. In Nigeria, its effects have been nothing short of catastrophic.
- Droughts and desertification are crippling farmlands in 11 northern states, shrinking livestock pastures and drying up irrigation sources.
- Forex scarcity and the naira devaluation are driving up the costs of seeds, fertilizers, and herbicides, compounding farmers’ struggles.
- Pests and diseases, once rare, now thrive in changing climate conditions, decimating crops at an alarming rate.
In Lagos, a pepper farmer, Shuabu Modinat, paints a grim picture:
“There will be more hunger this year than the last. Food is scarce, prices are high, and jobs are disappearing.”
World Bank
According to UNICEF, nearly 25 million Nigerians were at risk of hunger between June and August 2023, citing climate shocks, insecurity, and inflation as driving factors. The World Bank adds that food inflation exceeds 5% in more than half of low-income countries, Nigeria included.
Traditional cues that once guided planting seasons, like harmattan haze are no longer reliable.
“Before, we’d see haze and start harvesting groundnuts. Now, nothing is predictable,” says Musa.
And the Boko Haram insurgency, which has plagued the Lake Chad Basin for over a decade, continues to displace communities and accelerate environmental decline.
Act urgently
Experts say Nigeria must act urgently to save its agricultural future.
Climate and development stakeholders recommend:
- Wider adoption of climate-smart agriculture
- Access to drought-resistant seeds and irrigation tools
- Improved water harvesting and soil fertility strategies
- Stronger agricultural extension services for rural farmers
- Policy support and financing for climate resilience
“Without investment in sustainable farming and resilience strategies, Nigeria’s path to food security will remain uncertain,” warned an official with the Ministry of Agriculture who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Farmers remain committed
Despite the challenges, many farmers remain committed to the land. What they seek is not sympathy, but support, through policy, education, and infrastructure that aligns with the climate reality.
“We still believe we can feed this country,” said Ayaele. “But we can’t do it alone. Climate change is real, and it’s winning.”
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