Nigeria faces a serious test from a strengthening El Niño weather pattern, Premium Times reports in an explainer. The World Meteorological Organization has said the phenomenon is gaining strength and could become exceptionally intense towards the end of 2026, with effects lasting into 2027.
The paper cites a projection by the University of Chicago's Climate Impact Lab that Nigeria could see 31,400 additional heat-related deaths between September 2026 and February 2027. Rising temperatures are already a daily concern in many Nigerian cities, where traders, motorcycle taxi riders and schoolchildren struggle with the heat. The country has a long record of climate emergencies, including the 2022 floods that affected millions and repeated droughts in the north. The report examines whether such deaths can be prevented and what households and communities can do to limit the risks.
Source: Premium Times
