After two decades of working his farm in northwestern Nigeria, Umaru Muazu now struggles to find water for his crops.
A murky puddle is all that remains of a river near his 5-hectare farm and those of others in this community in arid Sokoto state. Because the 62-year-old Muazu can’t afford to dig a well to keep crops like millet and maize from withering, he might abandon farming.
“Before, with a small farm, you could get a lot,” he said.
Climate change is challenging agriculture in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. With long dry spells and extreme heat, water bodies are drying because the arid season is becoming longer than usual. The wet season, though it can dump excessive rain, is short.
It’s fresh pain in a country where the World Food Program says 31 million people already face food insecurity. Efforts to recover from one climate shock are overlapped by the next, said WFP spokesperson Chi Lael.
The challenges faced by farmers in the north, who account for most of what Nigeria eats, are affecting food prices and availability in the booming coastal south that’s home to the megacity of Lagos.
More than 80% of Nigeria’s farmers are smallholder farmers, who account for 90% of the country’s annual agricultural production. Some work their fields with little more than a piece of roughly carved wood and their bare hands.
Farmers are facing low yields because the government has failed to develop infrastructure like dams to help mitigate the effects of climate change, said Daniel Obiora, national president of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria.
There is little data available on the drying-up of smaller water bodies across the north. But farmers say the trend has been worsening.
In Adamawa state, water scarcity caused by higher temperatures and changing rain patterns has affected over 1,250 hectares (3,088 acres) of farmland, disrupting food supply and livelihoods, Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency said last year.
Over-extraction of water and deforestation are other factors contributing to northern Nigeria’s drying rivers, according to Abdulsamad Isah, co-founder of local Extension Africa nonprofit that often works with farmers.
Elsewhere in Sokoto state, Nasiru Bello tilled his farm to cultivate onions without assurance of a meaningful harvest. With nearby rivers and wells drying up, he has resorted to pumping groundwater for the farm that provides the sole income for his family of 26. But the cost of pumping amid soaring gas prices has become unbearable.
“The plants do not grow well as it did,” he said.
Nigeria is forecast to become the world’s third most populous nation by 2025, alongside the United States and after India and China.
With Nigeria’s population expected to reach 400 million by 2050, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization has been encouraging climate-smart agriculture to help ensure food security, including drip irrigation, which delivers water slowly and directly to roots and helps conserve water, instead of traditional irrigation systems that flood entire fields.
“There should be more orientation for farmers about climate change,” said Yusuf Isah Sokoto, director of the College of Environmental Science at Sokoto’s Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic.
At least two-thirds of the trees in the state have been lost due to deforestation, contributing to rising temperatures, Sokoto said.
Data from the government-run statistics agency show that local agriculture contributed 22% of Nigeria’s GDP in the second quarter of 2024, down from 25% in the previous quarter. While the trend has fluctuated in recent years, experts have said agricultural production still does not reflect growing government investment in the sector.
Household food imports, meanwhile, rose by 136% from 2023 to 2024, government statistics show.
The decreasing farm yields are being felt elsewhere in Nigeria, especially the south.
In Lagos, the price of several items grown in the north have nearly doubled in the last two years, partly due to decreasing supplies. A head of cabbage grown in the north is selling for 2,000 naira ($1.2), nearly double its price a year ago and more than five times the price in Sokoto.
Nigerian authorities acknowledge the problem. Many farmers who once harvested up to 10 tons are hardly able to get half that these days, agriculture minister Aliyu Abdullahi said earlier this year.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and his government have touted agriculture as a means for economic prosperity. Shortly after he took office in May 2023, Tinubu’s government declared a food security state of emergency and announced plans to activate 500,000 hectares of farmland in Nigeria’s land banks, which are mostly in the north.
The land banks, however, are yet to be activated.
By Dyepkazah Shibayan, The Associated Press
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Monday, May 12, 2025
Video - Nigeria on edge as falling oil prices raise economic fears
Nigeria’s economic managers are concerned over the continued drop in global oil prices, warning of potential impacts on the oil-dependent economy. Finance minister Wale Edun says the government is monitoring the situation and will act if the trend continues.
At least 23 killed in attacks by gunmen in central Nigeria
Gunmen killed 23 people in four separate attacks in central Nigeria's Benue state, a Red Cross official said Sunday, the latest flare-up of unrest in the region.
The attacks happened Saturday night in four villages.
Clashes between nomadic cattle herders and farmers over land use are common in central Nigeria.
"Reports from the field have confirmed the killings of at least 23 people from different attacks," Red Cross secretary in Benue state Anthony Abah told AFP.
Eight people were killed in Ukum, nine in nearby Logo, three each in Guma and Kwande, he said, citing data from the organisation's field disaster officers. Several others were wounded, he added.
A police spokeswoman said she was unaware of the attacks.
Cephas Kangeh, a retired general manager with a state electricity company who recently relocated to his home village near one of the affected areas told AFP he had heard of three killings, including a couple ambushed while riding a motorcycle which "was taken away by the herdsmen".
Chinese operators are mining gold in the area, he said.
"The attacks did not take place near the mining sites," said Kangeh.
"However, one is puzzled as to why indigenous people are always attacked, maimed... yet there has never been a single case of attack on the Chinese miners who are operating in these areas."
Some of the latest attacks were staged in areas previously targeted by attacks slightly over a month ago, which left at least 56 dead.
With many herders belonging to the Muslim Fulani ethnic group, and many farmers Christian, the attacks in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt often take on a religious or ethnic dimension.
Two attacks by unidentified gunmen earlier in April in neighbouring Plateau state left more than 100 people dead.
Across the wider Middle Belt, including in Benue, land used by farmers and herders is coming under stress from climate change and human expansion, sparking deadly competition for increasingly limited space.
The attacks happened Saturday night in four villages.
Clashes between nomadic cattle herders and farmers over land use are common in central Nigeria.
"Reports from the field have confirmed the killings of at least 23 people from different attacks," Red Cross secretary in Benue state Anthony Abah told AFP.
Eight people were killed in Ukum, nine in nearby Logo, three each in Guma and Kwande, he said, citing data from the organisation's field disaster officers. Several others were wounded, he added.
A police spokeswoman said she was unaware of the attacks.
Cephas Kangeh, a retired general manager with a state electricity company who recently relocated to his home village near one of the affected areas told AFP he had heard of three killings, including a couple ambushed while riding a motorcycle which "was taken away by the herdsmen".
Chinese operators are mining gold in the area, he said.
"The attacks did not take place near the mining sites," said Kangeh.
"However, one is puzzled as to why indigenous people are always attacked, maimed... yet there has never been a single case of attack on the Chinese miners who are operating in these areas."
Some of the latest attacks were staged in areas previously targeted by attacks slightly over a month ago, which left at least 56 dead.
With many herders belonging to the Muslim Fulani ethnic group, and many farmers Christian, the attacks in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt often take on a religious or ethnic dimension.
Two attacks by unidentified gunmen earlier in April in neighbouring Plateau state left more than 100 people dead.
Across the wider Middle Belt, including in Benue, land used by farmers and herders is coming under stress from climate change and human expansion, sparking deadly competition for increasingly limited space.
Thursday, May 8, 2025
Video - App-based drivers in Nigeria threaten to dump riding apps over poor working conditions
The drivers say ride-hailing platforms such as Uber, Bolt, inDrive, and Lagride charge excessively high commissions on their fares. The drivers want the commission cut down from about 35 percent to five percent and threaten to switch to local ride-hailing apps if their demands are not met.
Nigeria's multi-pronged malaria elimination approach gains momentum
Yenagoa, Four months ago, town criers and media in Bayelsa State, notified caregivers of the launch of the malaria vaccination campaign for children under 5-11 months.
The Ministry of Health's message through the Nigeria Primary Health Care Centre, World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, and partners was clear: families with eligible children should take their young ones to health centres to bevaccinated against the deadly disease, malaria.
Sherifat Omoniyi, a mother of two, was thrilled that one of her children was eligible. She shared, “When I heard the news, I took my nine-month-old son to the clinic for the vaccine. Since he received it, he hasn't been sick. "
Mrs Omoniyi explained that despite her child receiving the vaccine, she ensures that her household still takes precautionary measures to keep malaria at bay because, during the campaign, the informants reiterated that even with the vaccine, the entire household still needs to ensure the use of other preventive measures to keep malaria at bay.
She said, “We still sleep under the insecticide-treated nets, and ensure we don’t leave our water storage places open. This has significantly reduced the frequency at which my household comes down with fever. We now spend less on malaria treatment”
The Ministry of Health's message through the Nigeria Primary Health Care Centre, World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, and partners was clear: families with eligible children should take their young ones to health centres to bevaccinated against the deadly disease, malaria.
Sherifat Omoniyi, a mother of two, was thrilled that one of her children was eligible. She shared, “When I heard the news, I took my nine-month-old son to the clinic for the vaccine. Since he received it, he hasn't been sick. "
Mrs Omoniyi explained that despite her child receiving the vaccine, she ensures that her household still takes precautionary measures to keep malaria at bay because, during the campaign, the informants reiterated that even with the vaccine, the entire household still needs to ensure the use of other preventive measures to keep malaria at bay.
She said, “We still sleep under the insecticide-treated nets, and ensure we don’t leave our water storage places open. This has significantly reduced the frequency at which my household comes down with fever. We now spend less on malaria treatment”
A matter of urgency
Nigeria still faces a concerning malaria burden. Statistics from the 2024 World Malaria Report (WMR) reveal that the country accounts for 27% of the global malaria burden, with 31% of global malaria deaths.
The WHO Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030 sets a vision for a malaria-free world by 2030, with specific targets for reducing malaria incidence and mortality and eliminating the disease in at least 35 countries.
The Nigerian government has implemented various strategies such promotion of ongoing use of insecticide-treated nets, seasonal malaria chemoprevention therapy for children under five, preventive care for pregnant women, indoor residual spraying, effective case management, and improved sanitation to reduce mosquito breeding sites in the communities.
Recently, the country commenced a phased rollout of the WHO-recommended (R21) malaria vaccine, targeting children in areas with the highest malaria burden—Bayelsa and Kebbi—to accelerate efforts to reduce malaria among children. More than 140,000 doses have been administered to eligible children from one million doses received from the Nigerian Government and Gavi.
Recently, during the commemoration of 2025 World Malaria Day, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, addressed journalists and malaria stakeholders, stating that eliminating malaria is a top government priority, strongly supported by President Tinubu.
Dr Salako appreciated health workers and partners and stressed that achieving a malaria-free Nigeria requires ongoing, united action including tailored actions such as treated nets, preventative medicines for children, larval management, and a phased rollout of the malaria vaccine.
“The government ensures consistent malaria treatment, addresses funding challenges, enhances health systems with improved data, collaborates with the private sector for resources, and encourages preventative measures,” he added.
The minister further encouraged all stakeholders to stay committed to fighting malaria, noting that it requires multisectoral, multi-ministerial, inter-organisational, and community effort.
With the innovative strategies adopted, the country is on the pathway to eradicating malaria by 2030, said Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, WHO Country Representative in Nigeria.
Dr Mulombo noted that the 20225 World Malaria Day, observed under the theme “Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite”, is a rallying revitalised efforts at all levels, from global policy to community action, to renew commitment, rethink strategies and accelerate progress towards malaria elimination.
“This year’s theme reminds us that everyone has a role to play. Reducing malaria by 90% by 2030 could boost the country’s GDP.
However, we are at a crossroads. Climate change, humanitarian crises, resistance to drugs and insecticides, and funding gaps are challenging our gains. But malaria elimination is within reach with strong leadership, innovation, and sustained investment,” he said.
Nigeria still faces a concerning malaria burden. Statistics from the 2024 World Malaria Report (WMR) reveal that the country accounts for 27% of the global malaria burden, with 31% of global malaria deaths.
The WHO Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030 sets a vision for a malaria-free world by 2030, with specific targets for reducing malaria incidence and mortality and eliminating the disease in at least 35 countries.
The Nigerian government has implemented various strategies such promotion of ongoing use of insecticide-treated nets, seasonal malaria chemoprevention therapy for children under five, preventive care for pregnant women, indoor residual spraying, effective case management, and improved sanitation to reduce mosquito breeding sites in the communities.
Recently, the country commenced a phased rollout of the WHO-recommended (R21) malaria vaccine, targeting children in areas with the highest malaria burden—Bayelsa and Kebbi—to accelerate efforts to reduce malaria among children. More than 140,000 doses have been administered to eligible children from one million doses received from the Nigerian Government and Gavi.
Collective action
Recently, during the commemoration of 2025 World Malaria Day, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, addressed journalists and malaria stakeholders, stating that eliminating malaria is a top government priority, strongly supported by President Tinubu.
Dr Salako appreciated health workers and partners and stressed that achieving a malaria-free Nigeria requires ongoing, united action including tailored actions such as treated nets, preventative medicines for children, larval management, and a phased rollout of the malaria vaccine.
“The government ensures consistent malaria treatment, addresses funding challenges, enhances health systems with improved data, collaborates with the private sector for resources, and encourages preventative measures,” he added.
The minister further encouraged all stakeholders to stay committed to fighting malaria, noting that it requires multisectoral, multi-ministerial, inter-organisational, and community effort.
Pathway to success
With the innovative strategies adopted, the country is on the pathway to eradicating malaria by 2030, said Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, WHO Country Representative in Nigeria.
Dr Mulombo noted that the 20225 World Malaria Day, observed under the theme “Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite”, is a rallying revitalised efforts at all levels, from global policy to community action, to renew commitment, rethink strategies and accelerate progress towards malaria elimination.
“This year’s theme reminds us that everyone has a role to play. Reducing malaria by 90% by 2030 could boost the country’s GDP.
However, we are at a crossroads. Climate change, humanitarian crises, resistance to drugs and insecticides, and funding gaps are challenging our gains. But malaria elimination is within reach with strong leadership, innovation, and sustained investment,” he said.
Related story: Flying Malaria Vaccines Arrive in Nigeria
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