Climate change and security in Nigeria: The politicians' perspective

This article interrogates how Nigerian politicians perceive the security implications of climate change and what they prioritise as policy responses. Drawing on mixed methods and a purpose-built survey of 56 elected and appointed officials across federal, state and local government, we analyse perceived risks, drivers of violence, institutional barriers, and preferred solutions. Three in four respondents affirm that climate change exacerbates insecurity, with farmer–herder conflict, banditry/kidnapping, and insurgency ranked as the leading climate-linked threats. Majorities report locally observed floods (79%), droughts (46%), heatwaves (55%), and climate-related migration (54%). While 71% support increased climate–security budgets, politicians cite funding shortfalls, data gaps, politicisation, and coordination failures as principal constraints. Likert-scale measures show moderate trust in scientific data (mean 3.57/5) and modest integration of climate risks into security plans (3.34/5). We triangulate survey evidence with recent literature on floods, food insecurity, coastal erosion, piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, and farmer–herder violence. The paper concludes with actionable recommendations on mainstreaming climate risk into security sector planning, devolving early warning, de-politicising relief, and financing local adaptation that reduces conflict incentives.