add content hereIn central Nigeria, 67-year-old Idris Egbunu’s home is submerged each rainy season as the Niger River overflows.
For 12 years, flooding has forced Egbunu to leave, returning only after the waters recede to face repairs and cleaning.
Flooding is almost a guarantee around Lokoja, Kogi state, where the Niger River meets the Benue River.
Climate change, however, is worsening flooding across Africa, altering weather patterns and making rainy seasons more destructive.
Millions across West and Central Africa have been affected by torrential rains this year.
Data from the United Nations reports around 6.9 million people affected by severe flooding in the region.
In Nigeria’s Kogi state, the intensity of the floods has increased annually since 2012.
In 2022, record floods killed over 500 and displaced 1.4 million. This year’s floods have already impacted an estimated two million people in Kogi, according to officials.
Sandra Musa, a local emergency adviser, reports that water levels continue to rise unusually late in the year.
Meanwhile, residents like Fatima Bilyaminu struggle, with her home only accessible by boat and her belongings washed away.
Africa, despite contributing only four percent of global greenhouse emissions, suffers heavily from climate change.
Scientists at the United Nations warn of unprecedented rainfall across the Sahel region. Chad, Cameroon, and Mali report severe damage to homes, crops, and even historical sites.
Experts say rising global temperatures and fossil fuel consumption are to blame for increasingly frequent and intense weather events.
If emissions continue unabated, extreme weather may displace up to 118 million Africans by 2030.
