INTRODUCTION

Nigeria, like many parts of the world, is experiencing climate change. In particular, the country is becoming warmer. Various studies show that annual and seasonal timescales indicate a significant positive increase in temperatures in Nigeria. They show that mean temperatures have been consistently increasing throughout the country in the last five decades and have been rising significantly since the 1980s, with a change of 1.01°C (0.52 to 1.5°C) in the linear warming for the period 1951 – 2005. The linear warming for the same period for 30-year averages on a decadal slice further revealed positive changes in temperature by an average of 0.2°C/decade.

The mean annual variability and trend of rainfall over Nigeria in the last few decades depict the existence of a number of inter-annual fluctuations that have been responsible for dry and wet years or extreme climate events such as droughts and floods in many parts of the country and at different times.
The year More worrisome is the increasing knowledge that the country will be subject to consistent changes in rainfall and temperature conditions, particularly towards the end of the century. Recent analysis of anticipated future climatic trends for the country, as captured in the Third National Communication, indicates that for 2050 and 2070, the minimum temperature increase could range from 1.48°C to 1.78°C and the maximum temperature increase of about +3.08°C to +3.48°C compared to the baseline of 1990. A general increase in the number of days of rain and days with extreme rainfall events that may generate floods are projected over most ecological zones of the country except in the northeast Sahel zone, where the scenario analysis suggests fewer extreme events related to rainfall and flooding.

Climate change is a complex environmental problem because of its long-term uncertain time- frame, scales of occurrence, differential impacts and vulnerabilities, as well as equity and justice within the global power asymmetries. For instance, the impacts of climate change are already driving people back into poverty and undermining growth. Beyond recognizing the potential devastating effects of climate change on the socio-economic and environmental development of the country and implications for the well-being of the populace, the Government of Nigeria intends to strengthen its management of climate-related development challenges through an appropriate policy and institutional arrangements that will not only mainstream climate change into its development priorities, but also encourage the implementation of mitigation and adaptation actions at all levels of governance for climate compatible sustainable development.