Environmental experts have sounded the alarm, warning that several coastal communities in Rivers State and the Niger Delta region are facing an existential threat by 2050, if urgent action is not taken to enforce environmental protection laws.

The prediction was made during a workshop in Port Harcourt, on Conflict in Coastal Communities, organised by Academic Associates Peace Works (AAPW) in Port Harcourt, with funding from the European Union’s C7 project.

Speaking at the Workshop, Executive Director of AAPW, Dr Judith Asuni, emphasised the devastating impact of climate change on the Niger Delta, stressing that rising sea levels and frequent flooding have not only displaced residents but also intensified competition over dwindling resources, fueling communal conflicts.

The workshop highlighted the alarming effects of climate change, including surging tides and rising seas that have led to the displacement of many host communities, triggering recurrent land disputes and increased communal tensions.

Deputy Director, AAPW, Nkoyo Toyo, emphasised the urgent need for the enforcement of environmental laws to address land encroachment, the loss of aquatic biodiversity, and climate-induced migration.

“The coastal region, spanning hundreds of kilometres, is a fragile ecosystem under threat from multiple angles, with climate change being among the most critical,” Toyo said.

“Environmental degradation is directly linked to the unregulated practices of oil companies operating in the region. Nigeria’s failure to regulate emissions and enforce environmental standards has worsened the crisis,” she added, citing the black soot pollution in Port Harcourt as a visible consequence.

Toyo warned that environmental degradation is contributing to migration and scarcity of resources, both of which heighten the risk of violent conflict.

“When people are displaced and resources become scarce, tensions rise. You cannot address conflict without addressing environmental and climate issues, they are interconnected,” she noted. She also called for a holistic approach to environmental enforcement, involving community leaders, policymakers, and security agencies.

Traditional conservation practices, such as seasonal bans on fishing by local communities to protect mangroves, were cited as examples of grassroots efforts that are increasingly undermined by external actors.

The workshop also discussed the potential of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to be leveraged for infrastructure development that could protect vulnerable communities from the impacts of sea level rise and flooding.

Representative of the Rivers State Ministry of Environment’s Climate Change Desk, Nimi Elele, echoed the experts’ concerns. She warned that unless urgent measures are taken, entire communities could vanish.

“During the rainy season, sea-level rise leads to severe flooding that damages infrastructure and forces people to migrate inland, increasing social risks such as child molestation and sexual abuse.

“Fishing yields have also dropped significantly, pushing many coastal dwellers into poverty and hunger,” she noted.
Participants from Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta, and Rivers States pleaded for immediate government intervention.

They, however, called for stronger public awareness campaigns to educate residents on the causes and consequences of climate change and advocated for the implementation of sustainable policies to safeguard their communities and future generations.