Conflict, Climate Crisis Fuel Displacement Across Nigeria, Sahel

Climate change is increasingly recognized as a direct driver of armed conflict, displacement, and insecurity in Nigeria and across the Sahel region, where environmental degradation exacerbates competition over scarce resources. Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima and the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) both emphasize the urgent need for coordinated international action, highlighting how poverty, illiteracy, and ecological decline fuel violence and forced migration, especially in northern Nigeria. Similar dynamics are reported across the Central Sahel countries of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Chad, where environmental pressures intersect with economic and social vulnerabilities to influence migration patterns. The Global Peace Index 2025 identifies African nations such as Ethiopia, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan as hotspots of escalating conflicts, with climate-related stresses compounding political instability and humanitarian crises. The United Nations notes a global rise in forced displacement, driven largely by conflict, violence, and persecution, underscoring the interconnected nature of environmental and security challenges. Experts call for pragmatic, inclusive solutions focused on gender empowerment, youth engagement, and land reclamation to stabilize affected communities and prevent further displacement.