Climate of Nigeria
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The climate of Nigeria is mostly
tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...
.
Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
has three distinct
climatic zones Climate classifications are systems that categorize the world's climates. A climate classification may correlate closely with a biome classification, as climate is a major influence on life in a region. One of the most used is the Köppen climate ...
, two seasons, and an average temperature ranging between 21 °C and 35 °C. Two major elements determine the temperature in Nigeria: the altitude of the sun and the atmosphere's transparency (as determined by the dual interplay of rainfall and humidity). Its rainfall is mediated by three distinct conditions including convectional,
frontal Front may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''The Front'' (1943 film), a 1943 Soviet drama film * ''The Front'', 1976 film Music *The Front (band), an American rock band signed to Columbia Records and active in the 1980s and ea ...
, and orographical determinants. Statistics from the
World Bank Group The World Bank Group (WBG) is a family of five international organizations that make leveraged loans to developing countries. It is the largest and best-known development bank in the world and an observer at the United Nations Development Grou ...
showed Nigeria's annual temperature and rainfall variations, the nation's highest average annual mean temperature was 28.1 °C in 1938, while its wettest year was 1957 with an annual mean rainfall of 1,441.45mm. The climate has a significant impact on the country's agriculture, economy, and society. The rainy season is the most important time for agriculture, as it is the time when most crops are planted and harvested. The dry season is a time of
drought A drought is defined as drier than normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D.  Jiang, A.  Khan, W.  Pokam Mba, D.  Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, an ...
, which can lead to
water shortages Water scarcity (closely related to water stress or water crisis) is the lack of fresh water resources to meet the standard water demand. There are two types of water scarcity: physical or economic water scarcity. Physical water scarcity is wher ...
and crop failures. The high
temperatures Temperature is a physical quantity that expresses quantitatively the perceptions of hotness and coldness. Temperature is measured with a thermometer. Thermometers are calibrated in various temperature scales that historically have relied o ...
and humidity can also be uncomfortable and can lead to health problems. Nigeria's climate is influenced by its geographical location, topography, and the interactions of various air masses. Nigeria is situated in West Africa, between latitudes 4°N and 14°N, and longitudes 2°E and 14°E. It experiences a tropical climate characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons.


Climate of the country

Nigeria has three distinct climatic zones. According to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, it is mainly tropical. It can be categorized into three including the tropical monsoon climate in the southern part, the tropical savannah climate, and Sahelian hot and semi-arid climate in the northern parts of the country. While temperature and rainfall plays key roles in the determination of the country's climate, rainfall has been opined to be the key element based on its relevance and implications for agriculture.


Tropical monsoon climate (Am)

Tropical monsoon climate can be found in south southern part of the nation. This climate generally has an estimated average annual rainfall of 2000mm which varies for both the coastal areas and the inland regions. During the dry season, regions with this climate have a monthly mean temperature ranging from during nighttime to at daytime. Port Harcourt,
Delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta") * Delta Air Lines, US * Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 Delta may also re ...
and
Bayelsa Bayelsa is one of the states in the South-South region of Nigeria, located in the core of the Niger Delta region. Bayelsa State was created in 1996 and was carved out from Rivers State, making it one of the newest states in the federation. Yenag ...
are examples of regions experiencing Tropical monsoon. The Am climate is found in the northern regions of Nigeria. It is characterized by a shorter wet season and a longer dry season compared to the Aw climate. The average annual rainfall ranges from 600 to 1,200 mm. The wet season usually lasts from May to September, while the dry season extends from October to April.


Tropical savannah climate (Aw)

The tropical savannah climate is also called tropical wet and dry climate, as they tend to have both wet and dry seasons. It could be either a lengthy dry season and a relatively short wet season; or a lengthy wet season and a relatively short dry season. The tropical savannah climate has a mean annual rainfall of about 1200mm or below, while the monthly mean temperature ranges from during nighttime to at daytime.
Lagos State Lagos State ( yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Èkó) is a States of Nigeria, state in South West (Nigeria), southwestern Nigeria. Of the 36 States of Nigeria, states, it is both the List of Nigerian states by population, most populous and List of Nigerian state ...
is an example of a state with this type of climate. However, most central and southern parts of the nation also have this climate.


Sahelian hot (BWh) and semiarid climates (BSh)

The Sahelian hot and semiarid climates have average daytime temperatures of and at nighttime. Regions experiencing this climate are majorly part of the Northern part of Nigeria and they experience very low annual mean rainfall below 700mm. Northern states like
Kaduna Kaduna is the capital city of Kaduna State, and the former political capital of Northern Region, Nigeria, Northern Nigeria. It is located in north-western Nigeria, on the Kaduna River. It is a trade Centre and a major transportation hub as the ...
,
Jigawa Jigawa State (Hausa: ''Jihar Jigawa'' (Fula Leydi Jigawa 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤮𞤤 𞤶𞤭𞤺𞤢𞤱𞤢) is one of the 36 states of Nigeria, located in the northern region of the country. Created in 1991 from the northeastern-most region of Kan ...
and Sokoto are examples.


Seasons

Nigeria has two seasons in a year: dry and wet.


Dry season

The dry season is accompanied by the dusty northeast winds where midday temperatures that can sometimes reach 100F (38C). During the dry season, there are lesser rainfalls, more sun and lower humidity. This period falls between October and April every year. It is normal to experience
harmattan The Harmattan is a season in West Africa that occurs between the end of November and the middle of March. It is characterized by the dry and dusty northeasterly trade wind, of the same name, which blows from the Sahara over West Africa into the ...
and dry spells during this period. The harmattan usually appears from December to January. 1983 holds the record as the driest year Nigeria has ever seen since 1981.


Wet season

The wet season is also referred to as rainy season. It falls between April and September every year. The wet season is particularly noticeable on the southeastern coast, where annual rainfall reaches about 130 inches (330 cm), where temperatures rarely exceed 90F (32C). 2019 holds the record as the wettest year Nigeria has ever seen since 1981.


Temperature

Nigeria experiences high temperatures throughout the year, influenced by its location near the equator. The average annual temperature ranges from 25 °C to 32 °C, with regional variations based on factors such as elevation and proximity to water bodies. The average monthly temperature in Nigeria is between 24°C and 30 °C. The highest temperatures are usually seen between February and April during the dry season and are called the hot season. It falls between February and March ranging from in the south, and March to May ranging from 42.9 °C to 44.5 °C in the north. In 2021, this period lasted until May. In 2020, Nigeria saw a slight increase with southern states recording a mean average temperature of 30 °C - 32 °C while northern states had a record of 34 °C to 37 °C. Nigeria recorded 2021 as the year with the highest temperature in 40 years.


Climate change

Over the years, Nigeria has slowly become prone to various hazards due to change in climate. With the southern and coastal places at a risk of flooding due to rising sea levels. Further, they are also threatened with waterborne disease and vulnerable to more. States in the northern part of the country are experiencing higher temperatures, lesser rainfalls and are threatened by drought, famine, and food scarcity.


Climate action

Nigeria joined the UN Environment's Climate and Clean Air Coalition in 2012 with the vision of reducing short-lived climate pollutants across ten high-impact sectors. Nigeria's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) was made with a pledge to reduce GHG emissions by 45 percent conditionally by 2030 after Nigeria adopted the
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement (french: Accord de Paris), often referred to as the Paris Accords or the Paris Climate Accords, is an international treaty on climate change. Adopted in 2015, the agreement covers climate change mitigation, Climate change a ...
under the
President Buhari Muhammadu Buhari (born 17 December 1942) is a Nigerian politician and current president of Nigeria since 2015. Buhari is a retired Nigerian Army major general who served as the country's military head of state from 31 December 1983 to 27 Au ...
regime. Nigeria further passed the Climate Change Bill in November 2021. A bill which shows the country's commitment to a long-term vision of a net zero target for 2050 to 2070.


Extreme weather and hazards


Heatwaves

According to Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Nigeria, with an annual mean temperature of 26.9 °C has experienced heatwave with temperatures above 35 °C and with high occurrence rates in the northern part of the country. The northern part is more vulnerable to heat waves due to the hot semi-arid climate. In 2019, Nigeria experienced a heatwave with northern states experiencing high occurrences as Minna had a temperature of 42.2 °C. With 46.4 °C in 2010, the Nigerian city Yola had the highest recorded temperature in the list of countries and territories affected by extreme temperatures.


Floods

During the wet season, it is not unusual to experience rainfalls that can cause flooding in some parts of the nation. In 2012, the country experienced its worst in 40 years with an estimated loss of N2.6 trillion. A total of 363 people were killed and over 2,100,000 displaced. The 2017 flooding that occurred during the rainy season in Benue state was another disaster that displaced a thousand people. In 2021, 32 out of Nigeria's 36 states had cases of flooding according to the National Emergency Management Agency, reporting 155 lives lost between August and October.


Droughts

Nigeria was also among the affected countries that suffered severe famine in the
2012 Sahel drought 2012 had a very severe drought in the Sahel, the semiarid region of Africa that lies between the Sahara and the savannas. Countries included in this region are Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, and Eritrea. D ...
. Prolonged drought in Nigeria has led to
desertification Desertification is a type of land degradation in drylands in which biological productivity is lost due to natural processes or induced by human activities whereby fertile areas become increasingly arid. It is the spread of arid areas caused by ...
and land scarcity for farming and livestock. This forces farmers and herders to migrate to new areas, often resulting in violent conflicts, with over 2,000 casualties in 2018. Despite these challenges, some Plateau State residents are reluctant to leave, rebuilding their communities after destruction. Satellite images from NASA reveal severe desertification, affecting about 900,000 km2 of savanna grassland between the 1960s and 1986. Drought is a recurring issue in Nigeria, particularly in the arid north, with historical famines documented in various years. A recent survey by SBMIntel found that 79% of Nigerian farmers were impacted by drought and flooding in 2020, with 26.3% experiencing significant harvest disruptions. This poses a threat to national food security.


See also

*
2020 African Sahel floods The 2020 African Union, African Sahel floods were extreme floods that struck numerous West, East, and Central African countries in August and September 2020 due to extreme weather, extreme rainfall. Over 760,000 people in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, C ...
* Drought in Nigeria *
Geography of Nigeria Nigeria is a country in West Africa, it shares land borders with the Republic of Benin to the west, Chad and Cameroon to the east, and Niger to the north. Its coast lies on the Gulf of Guinea in the south and it borders Lake Chad to the northea ...
*
Sustainable Development Goals and Nigeria Sustainable Development Goals and Nigeria is about how Nigeria is implementing the Sustainable Development Goals within the thirty-six states and its Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria), Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The Sustainable Developme ...


References

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Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
Environment of Nigeria Climate change and the environment Effects of climate change Climate change and society