Climate Change and Food Security in Nigeria

By: Ogochukwu N. Nwedu, Nnachi Doglas N., & Joshua C. Onwe

Pages: 62–80, Volume: 3, Number: 2

Published by: AEFUNAI Journal of Economics, Finance and Development Studies, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, 8/1/2026, 2026

ISSN (Electronic): 2536-6742

DOI:

Climate Change and Food Security in Nigeria

Abstract:

This study examined climate change and food security in Nigeria between the period of 1990 and 2023. The set objectives were to investigate the impact of temperature on food security in Nigeria, examine the impact of CO2 emission on food security in Nigeria, and determine the effect of rainfall on food security in Nigeria. The empirical analysis that was carried out to achieve the objectives mentioned above was diagnostic tests such as unit root, co-integration, and Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL), in which the following variables were considered: Temperature (TEMP), Carbon emission (CO2), Rain (R), Arable Land (AL). The result of our unit root test showed that rain (R) and temperature are stationary at level, while food security, C02 emission, and Arable Land are stationary at first difference and also co-integrated of the same order in the long run. The error correction term (ECT) shows that about 71% of the previous period’s disequilibrium is corrected in the current period, indicating a rapid and effective return to the long-run equilibrium. The ECT result also shows that the short-run coefficients are all statistically significant. The study recommends that the government should invest in and subsidize climate-smart agricultural practices, including the use of heat-tolerant and drought-resistant seeds, precision farming techniques, and improved soil and water management systems, and enforce strict policies to prevent deforestation, combat desertification, and protect arable land from overgrazing and urban encroachment. Resolving land-use conflicts between farmers and herders is also a critical step.

Keywords: Temperature, Carbon Emission, Rain, Arable Land, Food Security, C02