BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
The debilitating impact of climate change on food security continues to deepen despite programmes and policies mapped out by African leaders to curtail the pitfall.
With the escalating climate hazards across different sectors of the economy, experts have championed plans targetted at eliminating Africa's climate risks.
These dominated discuss at the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Media Workshop on Climate Adaptation, facilitated by Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP) in Abuja.
GIFSEF is a non-profit organisation founded on the ideals of environmental education, climate change adaptation and mitigation, renewable energy and sustainable development.
The Executive Director of GIFSEP, Dr. Michael Terungwa David lamented that up to nine percent of Africa's national budgets were diverted to unplanned climate response, that often resulted to emergency spending pressure.
More Investments
David pleaded with African governments to invest more resources in climate adaptation than the received Official Development Assistant (ODA) support, adding that Africa needed $53 billion annually to mitigate climate disasters.
He lamented that between two to five percent of Africa's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) were lost annually to climate-related hazards such as droughts, floods, cyclones, heatwaves, larger-than-large rainfall, among others.
David said: "We need food to live and with climate change destroying our farmlands and threatening food security, adaptation is a necessity not a choice.
"African farmers are facing crop failures that directly translates to hunger and economic instability. Everyday we delay adaptation, we are jeopardising lives and livelihoods."
He requested debt cancelation for African countries instead of loans that further impoverish the continent and translates to food insecurity.
"Loans are not the answer anymore. Debt-based solutions only compound our problems. Flood and disasters often destroy infrastructure financed with borrowed money, yet our people are still forced to repay those debts. What Africa needs is grant, debt cancellation and direct support to communities to survive and adapt," he added.
Participants at the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Media Workshop on Climate Adaptation in Abuja recently
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a critical element of Paris Agreement designed to support developing countries to raise their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) while attaining low-emissions and climate-resilient pathways.
It was established by the 194 parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) including Nigeria in 2010.
But as at December 2023, the GCF had a portfolio of USD 13.5 billion (USD 51.9 billion including co-financing) that offered transformative climate action in more than 120 countries, inclusive of Nigeria.
David said: "Without adequate financing and effective laws, communities will continue to bear the brunt of climate disasters. We are talking about survival, the future of our children depends on the actions we take today."
ESHIA Bill 2025
One of the documents at the frontline for environmental and public health safety is the Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) Bill 2025.
The bill is a landmark piece of legislation designed to replace the outdated Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act of 2004.
It provides a more comprehensive, participatory, and enforceable framework for safeguarding Nigeria’s environment, social systems, and public health in the face of growing industrial activities and global developmental realities.
The GIFSEP boss added: "It is our duty as citizens and media to ensure the bill does not just sit on a shelf. Proper assessment and accountability are key to protecting lives and the environment."
Lending her voice, the Program Director at the Gee Foundation for Social Justice and Development, Gloria Agema advocated for speedy passage of the bill in the National Assembly, and the need for more public awareness on the rights and protections associated with the bill.
She demanded that stakeholders should engage lawmakers and policymakers to highlight its long-term benefits, while requesting the presence of strong coalitions to monitor and support its implementation once passed.
Transparent Dealings
When passed into law, the bill will provide an opportunity to assess projects before approval to prevent harm, align with sustainable development policies, promote cooperation across all levels of government, and encourage consultation, transparency, and accountability.
Agema said: "The ESHIA Bill 2025 is not just an environmental law—it is a people-centered, rights-based, and development-oriented framework.
"It modernises Nigeria’s environmental governance framework, emphasises public participation, ensures strong enforcement, introduces new oversight bodies, and imposes strict penalties for violators — aligning with global best practices."
She noted that CSOs must stand at the forefront of pushing for the enactment of the bill to secure Nigeria’s future.
The training brought to fore the need for African leaders to join forces in addressing the climate crisis that has consistently marred livelihoods especially in poorer countries.
It also spotlighted the call for world leaders to ease the difficulties in accessing the GCF by African countries that are vulnerable to climate change.
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