UNICEF reveals 650,000 Nigerian children displaced by flooding and climate crisis

Between 2016 and 2021, 650,000 children in Nigeria were displaced due to flooding, as disclosed by UNICEF Nigeria.

The United Nations agency further warned that over 110 million children in the country face significant risks from increasing temperatures, droughts, and intense storms.

During the commemoration of World Children’s Day in Nigeria, UNICEF Representative Cristian Munduate highlighted the grave situation in the country, underscoring Nigeria as the second most vulnerable nation globally regarding children’s exposure to climate change.

Munduate stressed the need for a comprehensive approach involving all sectors, from public to private, to effectively tackle this growing crisis.

At a Lagos event hosted at the UNICEF office, Mobolaji Ogunlende, the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development in Lagos State, emphasized the imperative of safeguarding children by ensuring they inhabit clean, safe, and healthy environments.

Ogunlende urged collective action, encouraging individuals to raise awareness, take appropriate steps, and motivate others to do the same. He highlighted the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) adopted by Lagos State to create a healthy environment across its local government and development council areas.

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Chief of UNICEF, Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, emphasized the necessity for ‘climate action’ for every child. Lafoucriere stressed the importance of engaging policymakers, students, and stakeholders in discussions to address climate change’s impact on children.

She emphasized the support needed for every child to thrive and contribute positively to society.

However, Lafoucriere, through UNICEF’s Communication Officer, Blessing Ejiofor, highlighted the critical roles of parents, teachers, and community leaders in addressing these challenges, urging them to fulfill their responsibilities effectively.