Floods displaced 650,000 Nigerian children in six years –UNICEF

No fewer than 650,000 Nigerian children were displaced due to floods from 2016 to 2021, the United Nations Children’s Fund said.

The UN agency also said over 110 million Nigerian children are at risk of climate change, having confronted the harsh realities of rising temperatures, flooding, drought, and severe storms.

The agency disclosed this in a statement on Monday in commemoration of the World Children’s Day.

WCD is celebrated annually on November 20 as a remembrance of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child by the UN General Assembly in 1959.

“Nigeria, as the second most vulnerable country worldwide in terms of children’s exposure to climate change, faces severe challenges. Over 110 million Nigerian children are at risk, having confronted the harsh realities of rising temperatures, flooding, drought, and severe storms,” the statement read partly.

The Director General of the National Council on Climate Change, Dr Salisu Dahiru said, “As one of the countries that suffers the greatest exposure to adverse climate impacts, Nigeria’s response to climate change must be swift and holistic, accounting for the needs of vulnerable people, including children and women, at the decision-making level, as well as in the implementation of the National Climate Change Action Plan.”

“This celebration is a crucial platform for our children, the most affected by climate change, to voice their concerns and experiences. Their input is essential in shaping our collective path towards a sustainable and resilient future,” said UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate.