Inclusive Environmental Education and Students’ Environmental Literacy: A Systematic Review of Participatory and Accessible Pedagogical Strategies in Nigerian Universities

Environmental literacy, defined as the integration of ecological knowledge, environmental attitudes, and pro-environmental behavioural competencies, is increasingly recognised as a critical graduate outcome for addressing Nigeria’s escalating environmental challenges. Despite this importance, the effectiveness of environmental education in Nigerian universities is constrained not only by curricular and resource limitations but also by systemic issues of inclusion that exclude students with disabilities, low literacy backgrounds, and diverse cultural or linguistic orientations from meaningful participation in environmental learning. This systematic review synthesises peer-reviewed and grey literature on inclusive environmental education strategies and their relationship with environmental literacy outcomes, with specific relevance to Nigerian higher education institutions. The review followed a structured systematic methodology involving a predefined research question, explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria, multi-database searching, and thematic synthesis of eligible studies. Evidence was drawn from both African and international higher education contexts where inclusive pedagogical approaches were implemented. The synthesis focuses on how accessibility-oriented instruction, participatory and community-based learning, integration of indigenous ecological knowledge, and Universal Design for Learning principles shape cognitive, affective, and behavioural dimensions of environmental literacy. Findings indicate that inclusive environmental education approaches consistently enhance environmental literacy outcomes, particularly among students traditionally marginalised in conventional didactic learning environments. The review highlights five key evidence domains: conceptualisation of environmental literacy in African universities, structural barriers to inclusion in Nigerian environmental education, effectiveness of participatory pedagogies, governance and curriculum constraints, and the role of indigenous ecological knowledge in shaping inclusive learning frameworks. The study concludes that strengthening environmental literacy in Nigerian universities requires a deliberate shift toward inclusive, participatory, and culturally responsive pedagogical systems rather than incremental curriculum adjustments alone.