ECOWAS has warned that climate change is putting growing pressure on livelihoods, infrastructure and regional stability across West Africa, with particular implications for Nigeria.

Experts warn that rising temperatures, drought, flooding and unpredictable rainfall could worsen displacement and insecurity across the region.

The warning came as the Second Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament and Second Seminar opened in Accra, Ghana, with discussions focused on “Climate Change as a Driver of Environmental Degradation, Population Displacement and Rising Insecurity in the ECOWAS Region.”

The concerns have particular implications for Nigeria, where the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says 14,118 communities in 266 Local Government Areas across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory are at high risk of flooding in 2026.

Principal Officer, Climate Change and Climate Services at the ECOWAS Commission, Mr Raoul Kouame, said the regional bloc needed to harmonise climate policies and standards while supporting member states to implement their commitments under the Paris Agreement.

He identified institutional fragmentation, differences in national capacities and difficulties accessing climate finance as challenges affecting climate action across the region.

Kouame called for stronger coordination between regional and national institutions and greater sharing of experience among member states.

In a presentation on climate risks and their implications for regional stability, the Senior Programme Officer, Climate Change and Ozone Directorate of Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority, Dr Derek Sarfo-Yiadom, said climate hazards were already affecting communities.

“Climate hazards are with us,” he said, identifying extreme heat, drought, heavy and unpredictable rainfall and rising sea levels among the major concerns.

The expert warned that climate change was not only an environmental issue, but also had social and economic consequences, including the potential to contribute to displacement and conflict in communities dependent on agriculture and natural resources.

The warning is already relevant to Nigeria’s humanitarian situation. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) says climate change remains a major driver of displacement in Nigeria, with flooding, drought and other climate-related shocks compounding existing vulnerabilities. The 2026–2028 Nigeria Crisis Response Plan said flooding in 2025 affected 34 of the country’s 36 states, while an assessment across 18 states found that three million people were affected, nearly 700 killed, and 896,000 displaced.

The agency also identified climate-related shocks, including floods and drought, as aggravating tensions and displacement in parts of the North-West, while land and water disputes and flooding contribute to persistent humanitarian pressures in the North-Central region.