Climate change: How floods worsen Nigeria’s healthcare crises

LAGOS — There are indications of a growing public health emergency in Nigeria, as the impacts of climate change, particularly floods, rising temperatures, and erratic weather patterns, intensify across the country.

This is because climate-related illnesses, including malaria, cholera, respiratory infections, and malnutrition, pervade both urban and rural Nigeria, affecting mostly vulnerable children and women.

Also, recent data from health authorities and climate researchers indicate that frequent flooding, such as the deadly incident in Niger State that claimed over 200 lives, is not only displacing communities but also contaminating water sources, overwhelming healthcare facilities, and increasing the spread of infectious diseases.

With environmental pollution compounding the crisis, scientists have warned that unless an urgent remedy is designed, Nigeria’s health system is ill-equipped to manage the burden.

Today, the effect of climate change is not telling any good story anywhere in Nigeria. A few weeks ago, the scorching sun in Kano left some journalists and a team of researchers from Lagos speechless. The sight of 28-year-old Fatima Musa fanning her feverish son outside a crowded primary healthcare centre was disturbing. Smoke from bush burning clogged the air, while flies buzzed around her child’s rashes and reddened eyes. For Fatima, these aren’t random ailments; they are symptoms of a country where worsening climate conditions, driven by human actions, are triggering a public health crisis.

Also, in late May, deadly floods swept through Mokwa in Niger State, and over 200 lives were lost. Hundreds more went missing, entire communities were displaced, schools, homes, and businesses disappeared under torrents of water as rivers burst their banks in what locals described as the worst flood in a decade.

Experts have said that it was not just rain but something else. According to them, the weather is turning against man.

WHO has described climate change as the greatest health threat of the 21st century. The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly physical and deadly in Nigeria. Globally, climate change poses a threat, and its impacts are disproportionately felt in developing countries like Nigeria. The challenges of heat waves, flooding, food insecurity, and increasing disease burden are evident. The burden of some illnesses, like malaria, is worsening.

Climate Change and Malaria

Speaking to Vanguard, Mr. Adeniyi Adeneye, a Research Fellow at the Public Health and Epidemiology Department of the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, explained that the impacts of climate change on health are very real.

Adeneye, who stated that climate change is already a problem in states like Lagos, pointed out findings from a recent Nigerian study, “Knowledge and Perceived Effects of Climate Change on Household Health and Resource Capacity as it Relates to Prevention and Treatment of Malaria in Selected Communities of Lagos State, Nigeria,” which he co-authored.

“Climate change is significantly amplifying the threat of malaria in vulnerable regions like Lagos,” Adeneye affirmed.

He noted that the research, which surveyed mothers of children under five in selected Lagos communities, revealed a concerning interplay between environmental shifts and public health. “Increased heavy and prolonged rainfalls due to climate change lead to more widespread flooding,” he explained. He added that this creates “more breeding sites for mosquitoes, which in turn increases mosquito abundance and the likelihood of human-vector contact, ultimately leading to higher malaria transmission.”

He lamented that this direct link between a changing climate and increased mosquito populations “paints a grim picture for malaria control”.

Compounding the problem are the unintended consequences of rising temperatures on current malaria prevention strategies, Adeneye stated. “Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets, LLINs, are a cornerstone of malaria prevention, especially since the study found that ‘about 80 per cent of malaria transmission occurs indoors.’”

However, the research revealed that residents overwhelmingly perceive LLINs as “inconvenient and heat-causing”. This perception is so strong that the study reported “zero ownership and use” of LLINs among the surveyed households, which he declared was “a stark contrast to national averages.”

He explained that as temperatures climb, the willingness of individuals to use these protective nets plummets, leaving them vulnerable to mosquito bites. Beyond prevention, climate change also poses a threat to malaria treatment, Adeneye warned.

The study identified potential “parasite resistance to Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies, ACTs,” the standard treatment for malaria. “This risk is exacerbated by the fact that rising temperatures can cause fevers, leading to the ‘misdiagnosis of malaria for other febrile cases and the irrational use of antimalarials through presumptive treatment at home,’” he added, stating multiple ways climate change is hindering malaria eradication.

According to climate scientists, the West African heatwave in February 2024 was made four degrees Celsius hotter and 10 times more likely due to human-induced warming.

In Nigeria, findings have shown that heat indices have reached as high as 50°C, endangering children, pregnant women, and the elderly.

According to WHO data, each 1°C rise in temperature increases the risk of pre-term births by five per cent. With floods destroying maternal health centres and disrupting antenatal care, outcomes for pregnant women and infants are deteriorating.

Currently, over 11 million Nigerian children under five are stunted — a crisis made worse by climate-linked food insecurity, rising heat, and poverty.

From the soot-covered rooftops of Port Harcourt to the choking generator fumes of Lagos, Maiduguri, and the dry, dusty winds of Sokoto, Nigerians are grappling with the health consequences of a changing environment. The effects of climate change are no longer abstract for many Nigerians.

Today, the country is witnessing an increase in cancer cases, more respiratory tract infections, and emerging and re-emerging diseases amongst others. The link between extreme weather and worsening public health outcomes is no longer theoretical.

Hospitals are reporting more cases of asthma attacks, and diarrhoea every time we experience flooding or extreme heat.

In a communique jointly signed by the President of the Society for Gastroenterology and Hepatology in Nigeria, SOGHIN, Professor Abdulfatai Olokoba, and Secretary-General, Dr. Abubakar Maiyaki, it was observed that climate change significantly impacts the gastrointestinal health of Nigerians. Themed: “Climate Change and Gastrointestinal Health,” they noted that “the challenge posed by climate change and its impact on gastrointestinal health exerts a tremendous burden on health systems and economies.”

They emphasised the urgent need for the Federal Government to “act fast with the worsening and ever-increasing burden of viral hepatitis and liver cancer in Nigeria and its attendant implication on the health of Nigerians, and the socio-economic well-being of the country.”

Far-reaching effects of flooding

However, data from the Federal Government showed that in 2022, floods affected more than 1.4 million Nigerians, killed over 612 people, and destroyed 110,000 hectares of farmland while the damage from floods in 2024 is expected to surpass that toll, with 2025 forecasts no less grim.

According to medical experts, beyond immediate casualties, floods fuel outbreaks of cholera, typhoid, and diarrhoeal diseases by contaminating water sources. They also explained that shifting weather patterns are lengthening mosquito breeding seasons, driving up cases of malaria, dengue, and yellow fever.

To check the disease trend, the Federal Ministry of Health, in January 2024, conducted a nationwide Vulnerability and Adaptation, V&A, Assessment, which revealed grim projections: a 21 per cent increase in Nigeria’s disease burden due to climate change, and a doubling of heat-related deaths by 2080.

The ministry is now drafting Nigeria’s first Health National Adaptation Plan, HNAP, to integrate climate concerns into public health systems. The plans include early-warning systems, improved disease surveillance, and climate-resilient infrastructure.

“We are no longer dealing with predictions; we are living the consequences,” Dr Ozuomba Sixtus, Consultant Family Physician and Chairman of the Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria, SOFPON, Lagos Chapter told Vanguard.

Havoc from floods, heat, and unpredictable weather

Findings have shown that flooding, drought, unpredictable weather, and excessive heat are already affecting how people live and die in this country. Whether it is sunny or rainy, according to public health experts, the consequences have many health risks for people, no thanks to human activities.

In cities like Port Harcourt, black soot from illegal refineries and gas flaring coats rooftops and lungs alike.

Findings have shown that children in the Niger Delta region are at risk of developing chronic respiratory problems at alarming rates. Also, pulmonologists say, already, more asthma in infants and a rise in chronic bronchitis, especially near artisanal refining sites, are already being reported.

Deepening health crisis

Adding to the climate-induced health challenges, a study published in January 2025 in the African Journal of Environmental Sciences and Renewable Energy, titled, “Environmental Pollution in Nigeria: Unlocking Integrated Strategies for Environmental Sustainability,” further stresses that environmental pollution remains a pressing challenge in Nigeria, driven by rapid industrialisation, urbanisation, and inadequate waste management systems.

According to the study, “over five decades, oil exploration in the Niger Delta has resulted in the spillage of more than 13 million barrels of crude oil, leading to severe contamination of water, air, and soil.” It added that urban centres like Lagos have witnessed a “20 per cent increase in respiratory illnesses due to vehicular emissions, with particulate matter, PM2.5, levels exceeding WHO thresholds by over 300 per cent.” The research stated that only 30 per cent of the urban population in Nigeria has access to formal waste collection services, leaving the majority dependent on informal and unsafe practices that significantly contribute to air and soil pollution. It identified respiratory disorders and heightened incidences of cancer and neurological conditions as some of the consequences of such human activities.

Data from the Federal Ministry of Environment estimates that over 60 per cent of the country’s waste is improperly disposed of — either dumped into waterways or burned in neighbourhoods. In Lagos, the burning of waste in places like Ojota is evidence.

Experts say this smoke contains toxic pollutants that cause lung cancer, heart disease, and pneumonia. According to them: “These are not distant threats but daily killers.”

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, recently issued a public health alert regarding a potential cholera outbreak across the country. The warning came as the Federal Government’s 2025 Annual Flood Outlook has identified 30 states including the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, as high-risk areas for flooding.

According to the 2025 flood forecast, over 1,200 communities in 176 Local Government Areas have been identified as high-risk flood zones, and an additional 2,187 communities in 293 Local Government Areas are classified as being at moderate risk of flooding.

Studies have established the connection between flooding and water-borne diseases like cholera. Currently in Lagos, stagnant floodwaters are breeding grounds for cholera, typhoid, and malaria. Sadly, every rainy season, there are spikes in water-borne diseases, and these are caused by human activities.

Each flood, each heat wave, places more pressure on Nigeria’s health system. Families are spending beyond their means to treat preventable diseases linked to climate conditions. “We spent ¦ 50,000 after our daughter got typhoid from floodwater,” said James Duru, a carpenter in Lagos. “That’s half my monthly income gone,” he told Vanguard.

It is no longer news that the rapid disappearance of tree cover across the North has turned once-fertile lands to dust. In Zamfara, Katsina, and Kebbi, desertification is forcing farmers to clear even more land through bush burning — exacerbating the heat.

“These fires destroy biodiversity and worsen heat waves. People are now collapsing from heatstroke in farming communities. It’s not just food we are losing—it’s health, Dr. Imam Bello, stated.

Emotional toll

Beyond physical ailments, the mental health impact is growing. Climate-induced displacement and crop failures are fuelling anxiety and trauma, especially in rural and flood-prone communities.

“People displaced by floods often come to us depressed, hopeless,” said Hauwa Ibrahim, a Lagos mental health nurse. “We are seeing emotional collapse.”

The elderly and persons with disabilities face heightened risks. “Many are unable to evacuate during floods or heatwaves,” Ibrahim added. “They are often left behind or forgotten.”

Also with unreliable electricity across the country, millions rely on petrol and diesel generators—emitting carbon monoxide and particulate matter that poison the air. In many clinics, hypertension rates are climbing not just from stress, but from long-term exposure to air pollution.

The World Health Organisation, WHO, has warned that climate change will cause 250,000 additional deaths annually from 2030 to 2050 due to heat stress, undernutrition and disease. It also predicts that vulnerable regions like Nigeria will suffer the most due to fragile health systems.

“I lost a baby to pneumonia,” Hadiza Suleiman, a mother in Kano told Vanguard. “Doctors said smoke from the kitchen may have made it worse. But what choice do we have? Gas is too expensive,” she said. According to WHO, household air pollution remains one of the top causes of death among women and children under five in developing countries.

Climate change is already taking a toll on Nigerians

In an interview with Vanguard, a Consultant Family Physician, Dr Ozuomba Sixtus, declared that climate change is already taking a toll on Nigerians’ health. He raised the alarm over its mounting impact on public health, food security, and overall human well-being.

Ozuomba who is also the Chairman of, the Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria, SOFPON, Lagos Chapter, warned that Nigeria is already grappling with the consequences, and urgent action is needed to safeguard lives. He painted a grim picture of how extreme weather events from excessive rainfall and flooding to prolonged droughts are silently eroding the nation’s health infrastructure and exposing Nigerians to a wide range of illnesses.

“You now see rains falling even on Christmas Day, which used to be the dry season. There is so much unpredictability. Either you have too much rainfall or too little, and this leads to flooding, drought, and other natural disasters. These changes are no longer distant threats; they’re realities we are living with.”

He highlighted the direct and indirect health consequences of climate change, saying respiratory diseases, stress-related illnesses, and even pregnancy complications are all on the rise. “We’re seeing increased cases of asthma and respiratory tract infections because of dry air, dust, and pollutants. The immune system becomes compromised due to environmental stress, making people more susceptible to infections, both viral and bacterial,” he explained.

He added that emissions from vehicles and factories worsen air quality and exacerbate pre-existing respiratory conditions. “People who may have a genetic predisposition to asthma, for instance, are now experiencing more frequent and severe attacks due to these exposures,” he said.

The physician also raised concerns about food insecurity and waterborne diseases, which, he said, are worsened by the environmental crisis. “When flooding occurs, it contaminates surface water. This leads to outbreaks of diarrhoeal diseases like cholera, especially when people consume uncooked foods such as fruits, vegetables, or local delicacies like “abacha”, he warned.

Beyond water contamination, the physician explained that fluctuating weather conditions disrupt farming cycles and reduce agricultural yields, threatening food availability and nutrition. “Food security is affected, and that indirectly impacts health. Malnutrition becomes more prevalent, and vulnerable groups like children and pregnant women suffer the most,” he added.

According to him, the effects of climate change also extend to reproductive health. “There’s evidence suggesting that extreme weather can lead to preterm deliveries, low birth weight, and even miscarriages. “The mechanisms are still being studied, but there’s increasing suspicion that environmental stress is a factor.”

Ozuomba placed much of the blame on human activity: deforestation, unchecked urbanisation, and reliance on fossil fuels. “We cut down trees for development, build along floodplains, and pollute the air with factory and vehicle emissions. We are the architects of our challenges.”

He emphasised the role of trees in mitigating climate change, saying: “Trees purify the environment. They take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. It’s a natural balance. But we’re not planting. Instead, we keep cutting.” He called for widespread reforestation efforts, advocating a “cut one, plant two” policy and a national campaign to reduce paper use and encourage sustainable practices.

Ozuomba urged governments at all levels to lead in climate action by enacting and enforcing policies that reduce environmental degradation and promote clean energy. “It’s not enough to tell people to stop cutting trees or using firewood. You must provide alternatives — clean, accessible energy sources like solar,” he said. “Unfortunately, government agencies that should lead by example are the ones clearing green spaces for estates and mega projects.”

He cited last year’s SOFPON tree-planting campaign as a model that should be scaled up nationally, adding that government, NGOs, and the private sector must collaborate in raising awareness and driving change. “There should be sensitisation, public enlightenment, and real policy enforcement. We can’t continue to act like these issues are far off. Climate change is here, and it’s costing lives.”

He said the country must shift from reactive to proactive measures. “What we’re dealing with is an ongoing crisis,” he warned. “We need long-term strategies that protect both the environment and public health. If we don’t act now, the health consequences will be more devastating than we can imagine.”

Policy enforcement should protect health, not raise revenue — Prof. Osibogun

A former Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, and public health expert, Professor Akin Osibogun, called on policymakers to take decisive action by formulating and enforcing people-centred policies that address the environmental crisis without deepening social inequalities.

In an interview with Vanguard, he emphasised that climate change is not just an environmental issue, but a growing public health emergency that must be tackled with proactive and inclusive policies.

He said: “Climate change is aggravating asthma, hypertension, and diabetes through heat and pollution. We need clean energy alternatives, better urban planning, and enforcement of emission standards not just for compliance, but to save lives.

“Policy-makers need to be more proactive in terms of looking at the problems on the ground and putting in place policies that relate directly to the existence of our people.

“It is not sufficient to ask people not to cook with firewood without providing an enabling environment for them to use alternatives,” he said.

Osibogun explained that many of the root causes of climate change such as gas flaring, bush burning, and the widespread use of firewood, are fueling atmospheric pollution that directly affects human health.

“When we burn firewood or flare gas, we’re releasing particulates and pollutants into the atmosphere. These pollutants trap heat from the sun, which should have been reflected away from the earth. As a result, the earth’s temperature is rising,” he explained.

This rising temperature, he noted, is already having far-reaching consequences. “The Arctic ice cap is melting, sea levels are rising, and flooding is becoming more frequent. And flooding isn’t just about displacement — it’s also about diarrhoeal diseases, economic losses, and destruction of crops and property.”

Beyond environmental damage, Osibogun warned of the grave health implications of rising heat levels and air pollution. He noted that dehydration, worsened by hotter temperatures, puts individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes at heightened risk. “Patients with diabetes mellitus are more vulnerable during hot seasons due to dehydration, which can aggravate their condition,” he said.

“Furthermore, when particulates are inhaled, they cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD. This disease limits oxygen from reaching the blood, meaning tissues and cells are starved of oxygen. In trying to compensate, the heart begins to overwork, pumping faster, working harder which eventually leads to cardiovascular complications.” He described this chain reaction as a clear illustration of how environmental hazards are driving up the burden of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria.

On the role of policy enforcement, Osibogun warned against using climate or health-related policies as tools for revenue generation. “Policy enforcement should not be used as an avenue for the government to raise revenue. Take, for example, vehicle emission inspections. They should not just be a means to generate funds, but a deliberate effort to protect the environment and safeguard public health.”

He said environmental regulations must be designed with the health of citizens in mind and must be implemented with sincerity, not as a formality. “When we formulate policies having taken into consideration the realities of our people we must enforce them with empathy and purpose,” he added.

Osibogun called on the government to adopt cleaner energy sources, improve access to alternative cooking fuels, and invest in healthcare infrastructure that can withstand climate-related pressures. “If we understand the health implications of climate change, then we as policymakers must put in place practical policies to reduce atmospheric pollution and protect the health of Nigerians. That is where we should be heading.”

He also expressed concern that even when people are exposed to environmental health risks, they are often unable to access the medical care they need. “Even when people are finally exposed to these risks, they often cannot access the care that could save their lives. That is another layer of vulnerability that must be addressed,” he said.

As Fatima Musa finally gets her son admitted into an overcrowded ward, she wipes sweat from his brow and her own. Her story mirrors that of millions of Nigerian women caught in a climate health spiral fuelled by neglect and poor choices.

Unless urgent action is taken to link climate strategy with health protection, experts say Nigeria risks entering a future that is not just hotter, but deadlier.

For WHO representatives in Nigeria, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, clean air, safe water, and adequate nutrition are all under threat. Without urgent action, the world risks losing decades of progress in public health.

Meanwhile, confirming the effects of climate change globally, the World Health Organisation and the World Meteorological Organisation, WMO, raised the alarm that the world’s workers, particularly those in outdoor, manual labour sectors, are on the front lines of a deepening climate crisis.

The new joint report sounded the alarm on the severe and growing health threats posed by extreme heat in the workplace.

Farmers, construction workers, street vendors, and factory hands across the globe are facing longer, hotter days that are pushing their bodies to the limit.

With 2024 already confirmed by the WMO as the hottest year ever recorded, heatwaves are becoming more intense, more frequent, and more deadly. In many regions, workers are now routinely exposed to temperatures above 40°C, with some areas seeing highs over 50°C.

“Heat stress is already harming the health and livelihoods of billions of workers, especially in the most vulnerable communities,” said Dr Jeremy Farrar, WHO Assistant Director-General. “This new guidance offers practical, evidence-based solutions to protect lives, reduce inequality, and build more resilient workforces in a warming world.”

Findings from the International Labour Organisation, ILO, reported that over 2.4 billion workers worldwide are exposed to excessive heat, contributing to more than 22 million occupational injuries each year.

Interswitch named in CNBC, Statista’s world’s top fintech companies 2025

In a year marked by intensified global scrutiny on performance, scale and substance across the fintech sector, Interswitch, leading African integrated payments and digital commerce company, has earned a prominent place on the CNBC and Statista list of the World’s Top Fintech Companies, a distinction reserved for the most impactful and resilient players shaping the future of financial technology globally.

Published on CNBC’s global platform, the list spans payments, lending, insurtech, digital banking, and blockchain, among others.

Interswitch’s inclusion in the payments category places it among a select group of firms recognised for delivering meaningful innovation, maintaining system reliability, and demonstrating sustained impact in their markets.

The recognition reflects Interswitch’s deliberate and disciplined approach to building payment infrastructure that meets real economic needs. With its two-decade track record, the company continues to power critical financial services across public and private sectors, enabling individuals, businesses, and governments to transact with confidence across Nigeria and other African markets.

Commenting on the announcement, Interswitch Founder and Group Managing Director/CEO, Mitchell Elegbe, said: “Our focus has never been just about speed or scale for the sake of it. We’ve been intentional about building the systems and laying the rails that make payment and commerce work seamlessly. This recognition is timely, and it speaks to the work of every Interswitch stakeholder who has remained committed to our journey.”

From enabling government-led payment digitisation to delivering secure contactless frameworks in transportation, and from expanding real-time lending rails to offering accessible APIs for developers and startups, Interswitch has maintained its role as a trusted infrastructure provider across industries.

Over the past year, the company has built infrastructure and platforms that have enabled the payment ecosystem across the continent. Its works also include deepened platform security, scaled onboarding for its cloud-native services, and reinforced its capacity to handle billions of transactions across switching, card services, and digital banking platforms with its flagship brands, Quickteller and Verve.

Cherry Eromosele, Executive Vice President, Group Marketing and Communications, added: “Interswitch has always been more than a product company; we design for longevity, for reliability, and for ecosystems. That’s what makes this recognition meaningful. It validates the philosophy behind how and why we build.”

The CNBC x Statista ranking is based on independent data, market performance, and expert evaluations across key metrics such as user growth, product innovation, and platform resilience. It places Interswitch among globally recognised fintechs who are actively shaping how money moves in today’s connected world.

At a time when digital payments are driving economic transformation, Interswitch remains focused on enabling Africa’s participation in the global economy through partnerships, compliance, and the kind of infrastructure thinking that scales with the continent’s growing ambitions.

The post Climate change: How floods worsen Nigeria’s healthcare crises appeared first on Vanguard News.