Experts issue warning as looming threat could destroy coastline: 'We are not talking about a distant future'

A recent profile of local leaders in Nigeria paints a grim portrait of the country's future as it pertains to climate change. To hear them tell it, this massive economic powerhouse of a nation is running out of time to save itself from increasingly rising, increasingly dangerous tides.

What's happening?

In an article published by Odimegwu Onwumere in The Nigerian Voice, notable figures in Nigeria are interviewed about the impact of climate change on their nation. None has positive things to say. A chieftain is brought to tears describing how rising sea levels have taken his childhood home, while a leading hydrologist in the country plainly states the damage is not only going to be catastrophic — it's going to reach that state even earlier than we might expect.

"We are not talking about a distant future," the hydrologist, who maintained anonymity while being interviewed, urged. "We are living in the early stages of the inundation. The flooding in Lagos and the Delta is no longer just seasonal; it's becoming a permanent feature."

"The high tides push further inland each month. The storm surges, which were once rare events, are now more frequent and far more destructive."

Why are rising coastlines concerning?

It should be self-evident why rising sea levels are of increasing concern. They will likely displace millions of people across the globe. But, as Onwumere stated in the article, even bigger systemic changes are taking place as a result of this evolution as well.

"This is not just about losing land; it is about the fundamental disruption of life," he wrote. "The constant presence of water makes communities more vulnerable to waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid. It contaminates freshwater sources with salt, making it undrinkable and poisoning the very soil needed for agriculture. A vicious cycle is created … creating the perfect conditions for both disease and conflict."

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What's being done to save Nigeria's "sinking heartland?"

In response to the worsening conditions throughout the nation, Nigerian officials have begun to make major changes. Recently, Vice President Kashim Shettima unveiled the country's updated commitments to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Climate Accords. The most significant of these commitments is a notable reduction in greenhouse gas pollution by 2030.

The world is watching how Nigeria responds to climate change, but perhaps more specifically, the African continent is watching. By virtually any metric, Nigeria is one of the continent's wealthiest and most powerful nations. If even a country of that size and international influence can take on damage as a result of climate change, then the rest of Africa will have to steel itself for a major fight in the coming years and decades.

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