Nigeria faces escalating climate-health challenges that threaten public health systems nationwide, according to environmental health specialist Oluwaferanmi Akinyemi. In an exclusive interview with The Guardian Nigeria on November 24, 2025, the climate researcher emphasized that severe floods, heatwaves, and increasing waterborne and vector-borne diseases require immediate strategic intervention.
Building Resilience: Nigeria's Most Urgent Healthcare Priority
Drawing from his United States experience, Akinyemi identified resilience as Nigeria's most critical priority. "In the United States, we've seen how climate extremes directly affect public health," he explained. "However, hospitals are prepared for patient surges, water systems are constantly monitored for contamination, and emergency response is coordinated nationally."
Akinyemi stressed that Nigeria needs the same proactive mindset—systems that anticipate crises rather than merely reacting to them. Building resilience requires investing in early-warning tools, strengthening water protection infrastructure, and training public health officers to connect climate data with health outcomes. "Without resilience," he warned, "every flood or drought becomes a national emergency instead of a managed risk."
The Critical Role of Data in Public Health Management
Data infrastructure represents another vital component in Nigeria's climate-health response. Akinyemi highlighted how American agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) utilize geospatial mapping, climate models, and surveillance systems to track risks in real time.
"Data is the backbone of modern public health," Akinyemi asserted. "This helps us predict outbreaks like West Nile virus or anticipate water contamination after storms." He emphasized that Nigeria must build similar infrastructure to collect reliable data on water quality, disease outbreaks, and climate events. "Without it, decisions become guesswork. With it, Nigeria can allocate resources where they're needed most, act before small problems escalate, and build credibility in its health system."
Equity and Community Engagement in Climate-Health Interventions
The environmental specialist emphasized that vulnerable communities often bear the brunt of environmental hazards, making equity essential in climate-health interventions. "Climate impacts are never evenly distributed," Akinyemi noted. "Low-income neighborhoods, minority communities, and rural populations often suffer the most from floods, heatwaves, and pollution."
To address this disparity, he recommended that public health agencies deliberately design programs with equity at the center by mapping vulnerable populations, directing resources to high-risk areas, and ensuring interventions remain accessible to all. Community engagement plays a crucial role in this process. "Public health is not just about science, it is trust," Akinyemi explained. "When people are educated about risks, consulted on solutions, and made partners in compliance, it builds ownership."
Akinyemi expressed optimism about Nigeria's potential, citing the country's resources and talent. "Our scientists, public health officers, and young professionals are innovative and resilient," he said. "What we need now is leadership that prioritizes climate-health integration—investing in data systems, empowering communities, and embedding integrity in every decision."
