Drought in Nigeria



Long-term drought in Nigeria has resulted in desertification and a shortage of land for raising cattle and growing crops. To obtain land for farming or grazing, farmers and herdsmen are encouraged to go to new areas, which frequently leads to violence Herdsmen and farmers have been engaged in increasingly violent fights over the previous two years. More than 2,000 people lost their lives in 2018. However, many residents of the villages in Nigeria's Plateau State are unwilling to leave because they consider the region to be their home. When a community is burned down, new bricks are created to repair the destroyed homes.

Analysis of the orbital photographs from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shows that about 900,000 km2 of former savanna grassland in the region of Africa has been severely decertified between the early 1960s and 1986 due to persistent drought occurrences (O'Connor 1995).

Drought is a phenomenon that occurs in Nigeria and impacts the whole nation. The arid and semiarid regions are more sensitive than the dryer south, but the degree of vulnerability varies. In Northern Nigeria, there are several records of drought occurrences that resulted in famines in the years 1914, 1924, 1935, 1943, 1951–1954, 1972–1973, Mortimore 1989 and 1991–1995 (Tarhule and Woo 1997).

A recent survey conducted in seven states of Nigeria by SBMIntel, an Africa-focused research firm, showed that approximately 79% of Nigerian farmers were impacted by the damaging effects of drought and flooding in 2020. Among them, 26.3% experienced significant disruptions to their harvests due to extreme weather conditions. About 52.60% were somewhat affected, while 21.1% reported no impact from the drought and flooding. The survey, titled "Nigerians just want to eat," highlights the major challenges faced by Nigerian farmers and food transporters, which could potentially hinder national food security. It was published this month.

Effects
Drought has led to an increase in global climate change and the demand for sustainable development.

The significant impact of drought in Northern Nigeria has been evident over the past years, affecting crops and farmers' produce in the region. Drought is characterized by prolonged absence or insufficient distribution of precipitation, resulting in a long-term deficiency of rainfall in a specific area. This situation leads to water stress and widespread crop failure when the rain fails to meet the evapo-transpiration demands of the crops.

Experts have labeled the 2022 floods in Nigeria as the most severe since 2012. These floods have devastated crops on more than 500,000 hectares of farmlands, affecting numerous smallholder and commercial farmers throughout the country.

Climate change affects Nigeria's hydro power generation, as it leads to unpredictable rainfall and drought patterns, impacting water levels in dams like Kainji Dam. During drought, the hydro power output decreases, affecting national power distribution and disrupting industrial activities that rely on a stable power supply. Conversely, excessive rainfall due to climate change can result in severe flooding in neighboring communities.

States affected by droughts in Nigeria
The following states including Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, Jigawa and Kano in the north-west and Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi and Adamawa States in the north-eastern part of the country are mainly affected by droughts.

Climate
The Harmattan season which occurs between the end of November and the middle of March brings about drought in Nigeria. It sometimes creates big clouds of dust which can result in dust storms or sandstorms. The wind can increase fire risk and cause severe crop damage.

Government agency
The National Environmental (Desertification Control and Drought Mitigation) Regulations, 2011 play roles in the regulation of desertification in Nigeria. They also play important roles in sensitizing Nigerians about the causes and dangers of Decertification. They achieve this by encouraging Reforestation, Reseeding, Afforestation and conservation of areas under Desertification.