Across Nigeria, climate change is not just an environmental crisis—it is a social justice issue with a deeply gendered impact. Floods, droughts, desertification, and rising food insecurity are realities that millions face, but for women—particularly rural women farmers—the burden is doubled. They are expected to feed their families, sustain local economies, and adapt to increasingly hostile environments, all while battling entrenched gender inequalities. This is the gendered face of climate chaos, and it calls for urgent action.
The relationship between gender and climate change in Nigeria is undeniable. Women make up the majority of Nigeria’s smallholder farmers and are at the frontline of food production, yet they have the least access to land ownership, credit, information, and climate adaptation resources. When floods wash away farmlands or prolonged droughts destroy crops, women farmers and climate change become inseparable stories of struggle and resilience. The unequal distribution of resources and decision-making power means that while women are the most affected by climate change, they are often excluded from conversations about solutions. The climate crisis in Nigeria therefore reinforces poverty, hunger, and inequality.
Yet women are not passive victims of this crisis. From rural farmers in Cross River who are building climate-resilient livelihoods, to women’s groups in the North mobilising for access to water and sustainable agriculture, women and climate change in Nigeria tells a story of courage, resilience, and leadership. ActionAid Nigeria supports these women-led efforts by strengthening their access to climate-smart farming practices, creating enabling spaces for women’s movements to advocate for climate-responsive policies, and amplifying feminist climate justice to ensure that women’s voices are at the heart of local and national climate agendas. These actions are not just about survival—they are about reclaiming power and demanding justice.
For women, climate chaos is a double battle: adapting to the changing environment and resisting systemic gender oppression. This means working twice as hard to access resources, secure food, and ensure that climate resilience in Nigeria is not just a policy aspiration but a lived reality. Their resilience is also the foundation for sustainable solutions. Studies consistently show that when women are empowered to participate in decision-making, climate policies become more inclusive, equitable, and effective. Nigeria cannot build climate resilience without women at the center.
The climate crisis in Nigeria is a defining challenge of our time, and solutions must be rooted in equity, justice, and the redistribution of power. A feminist approach to climate action places women’s rights at the heart of environmental sustainability and ensures that policies and programmes do not reproduce the same inequalities they seek to address. This is why ActionAid Nigeria continues to work with women farmers and climate change movements, youth networks, and grassroots communities across the country. We confront the structural drivers of both poverty and climate change by demanding accountability from government and private sector actors while supporting local initiatives that lead the charge for climate justice.
The fight against gender and climate change in Nigeria is also a fight for social justice. Women are already leading the way, but they cannot do it alone. ActionAid Nigeria calls on government, private sector actors, and civil society to join hands in amplifying women’s voices, demanding feminist climate justice, and building a future where communities are secure, resilient, and thriving.
