Climate Crisis Threatens Nigeria’s Health System

The growing climate crisis is severely straining Nigeria’s fragile health system, and its wide-ranging health implications are intensifying existing challenges.

Experts and global health authorities have warned that the worsening impacts of climate change – rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and changing disease patterns – are exacerbating health vulnerabilities and threatening progress in public health nationwide.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has highlighted the multifaceted health effects of climate change, which include rising deaths and illnesses caused by heatwaves, floods, poor air quality, and water contamination.

According to the WHO, over 13 million annual deaths globally are linked to preventable environmental causes, including climate-related factors. In Nigeria, the impacts are particularly acute due to the country’s weak health infrastructure and high disease burden.

The global health body has said climate change directly affects critical health determinants such as air and water quality, food security, and housing. These impacts are fueling the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like heart and lung disease, stroke, and cancer, which already constitute a significant portion of Africa’s disease burden.

The vulnerable populations in Nigeria – those living in poverty, coastal communities, and urban slums – bear the brunt of the climate crisis.

According to projections, up to 53 million Nigerians may need to be relocated with just a 0.5-metre rise in sea levels. Meanwhile, urban centres such as Lagos and Abuja are experiencing worsening air pollution, leading to respiratory diseases and heat-related illnesses.

WHO’s country representative in Nigeria, Dr Walter Mulombo, stated that 21 per cent of the country’s disease burden could soon be climate-related.

He said, “Rising temperatures and extreme weather events already had severe consequences for health systems, livelihoods, and well-being.”

Emphasising the urgent need for transformative action, Dr. Mulombo said climate change threatens the essential ingredients of good health: clean air, safe drinking water, a nutritious food supply, and safe shelter.

“It can potentially undermine decades of progress in the health system.

“The alarming projection is that 21 per cent of Nigeria’s disease burden shortly could be climate-related. This underscores the urgent need for transformative action,” he added.

A public health expert, Dr Rufai Alami, told LEADERSHIP that climate change intensifies vector-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever, as higher temperatures expand mosquito habitats.

“Climate-induced disasters, including floods and droughts, are contaminating water supplies and leading to outbreaks of waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid,” he added.

The managing director of Nigeria Health Watch, Vivianne Ihekweazu, stressed the need for the youth to play an active role in tackling the dual challenges of climate change and health vulnerabilities.

Mrs Ihekweazu said climate change has already impacted Nigeria through floods, droughts, deforestation, and rising temperatures.

“Young people, who will bear the brunt of these impacts, must be part of the solution. Our health systems are fragile, and integrating climate resilience into health infrastructure is essential,” she said

She stated that pregnant women, who are particularly vulnerable to heat stress and dehydration, often face health facilities unprepared to meet climate-related challenges.

She stressed the need for energy-efficient hospitals powered by renewable sources, such as solar energy, to maintain essential services, including vaccine storage.

Emphasising the importance of adaptation and mitigation efforts, the national technical officer for Public Health and Environment at WHO Nigeria, Dr Edwin Ede, stressed the need to address deforestation and encourage sustainable energy practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

He told LEADERSHIP that “the cost of inaction is expensive” and advocated for government incentives to help communities transition to cleaner energy options and reduce reliance on firewood and charcoal.

Dr Ede quoted the following statistics: “29 per cent of Nigeria’s national disease burden is linked to environmental risk factors. 27-53 million people in Nigeria might need to be relocated with a 0.5m increase in sea levels.”

The escalating climate crisis poses an unprecedented threat to Nigeria’s health system, endangering millions of lives.

In response to these challenges, the federal government has pledged to build a climate-resilient health system, starting with commitments made at COP26 in 2021. The health ministry’s recent launch of the Climate Health Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment Report  marks a significant step toward this goal.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, described the report as crucial for identifying climate-related health risks and creating a resilient healthcare system.

The WHO and national and international partners are actively supporting these efforts. Key initiatives include developing a National Health Adaptation Plan and strengthening health data systems to track progress and respond to emerging threats.

Health and environmental experts have urged the federal government to urgently invest in climate-resilient health infrastructure, sustainable practices, and robust public health strategies to safeguard Nigerians’ well-being.