Nigeria may record 31,400 heat-related deaths — Report
A new report by the Climate Impact Lab warns Nigeria may record 31,400 additional heat-related deaths between 2026 and 2027 due to a strong El Niño. Read More:…
El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern linked to the periodic warming of surface waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, which disrupts weather systems worldwide. In Nigeria and much of West Africa, strong El Niño episodes have historically been associated with reduced rainfall in some regions, erratic planting seasons, and prolonged heatwaves — conditions that strain agriculture, water supply and public health, particularly for the elderly, infants, outdoor workers and people with pre-existing illnesses who are most vulnerable to extreme heat.
The figures cited in this report originate from the Climate Impact Lab, a research consortium that models the economic and mortality effects of climate change using historical temperature-death relationships. The coverage across Punch, Leadership and Tribune agrees on the headline projection — about 31,400 additional heat-related deaths in Nigeria tied to the upcoming El Niño window — and on the timeframe spanning roughly September 2026 to February 2027. Tribune adds that Nigeria ranks among the countries projected to suffer the highest such death tolls globally. None of the reports yet detail the methodology behind the projection, which Nigerian states or regions would be hardest hit, or what mitigation measures, if any, health authorities plan to roll out ahead of the period in question.