IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON MIGRATION IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA
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Abstract
Climate change has emerged as a significant driver of environmental and socio-economic transformation, with notable implications for human mobility in vulnerable regions. Increasing temperature variability, irregular rainfall patterns, droughts, and flooding have disrupted agricultural systems and rural livelihoods, thereby intensifying migration as an adaptive response. This study examines the influence of climate change on migration dynamics in North-Central Nigeria and its associated socio-economic implications. The research adopts a qualitative approach, relying exclusively on secondary data obtained from peer-reviewed studies, institutional reports, and climate datasets. Key sources include the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Anchored in the environmental migration and sustainable livelihoods frameworks, the study applies qualitative content analysis and thematic synthesis to examine patterns, drivers, and outcomes of climate-related migration. Findings indicate that climate variability has contributed to declining agricultural productivity, weakened household income structures, and increased vulnerability among rural populations. These conditions have acted as significant push factors for both seasonal and permanent migration. The study further reveals that migration produces multidimensional effects on both origin and destination communities, including labour shortages in rural areas, food insecurity, and growing pressure on urban infrastructure and services. Although migration offers adaptive opportunities such as income diversification and remittance flows, it also generates new socio-economic and environmental pressures. The study emphasizes the need for integrated policy interventions aimed at strengthening climate resilience, supporting sustainable livelihood diversification, and improving institutional capacity to manage climate-related migration effectively.
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