CLIMATE CHANGE, ECOSYSTEM AND THE ECONOMY OF NIGERIA

Abstract

This research examines the economic impacts of climate change on agriculture, human health, water resources and biodiversity in Nigeria. The research used both primary and secondary data. The primary date was gotten from NPC census 2006 which was estimated as 140,003,542. A sample size of 400 was achieved by using Taro Yamane formula and were distributed among farmers’ traders’ economist etc. that were selected as the respondents of the study which 306 sample size returned. The validity of the research instrument was ascertained and its reliability was established using the SPSS and also Cronbach alpha reliability index of 0.80, confirming the research instrument’s suitability for the study. 5 Likert scale were used to answer the research questions using a criterion mean of 3.0, while research hypotheses were tested using Pearson correlation at 0.05 level of statistical significance. Findings from the study show that climate change lead to heat-related illnesses and mortality, alterations in rainfall patterns that lead to droughts and floods, erosion, flooding, loss of biodiversity, reduction in water quality, water-borne diseases, desertification, damage to infrastructure, reduction agricultural productivity, increase in water scarcity, food insecurity, energy scarcity, increase in emigration, socio-political and economic instability that affect economic growth in Nigeria. The study concluded and recommended that policy makers and government of Nigeria should increase investment in climate change adaptation measures, promote climate-resilient agriculture practices, improve disaster Risk Reduction and Management and also develop and implement a comprehensive climate change policy that will mitigate climate change effect in Nigeria.