Climate Change, Disasters, Insecurity, and Displacement: The Impact of Flooding on Youth Marginalization and Human Mobility in Nigeria

Nigeria has faced its worst flooding in over a decade, with over 2 million people displaced from the unprecedented climate related impacts. The 2022 floods, caused by heavier rainfall attributed to climate change and the release of excess water from the Lagdo dam, affected the majority of areas, 34 states and is serving as a key driver of forced movement and human mobility. Flood-prone areas across the country have been particularly affected, such as in Anambra, where 526,215 people were displaced because of the 2022 floods, in addition to other states. As the most highly affected example, Bayelsa had 700,000 people displaced across 300 communities and villages from the flooding.

The effects of environmental and climate change related disasters are only projected to worsen,  with a total of 4.2 million people at risk and Adamawa state heavily impacted by floods in 2023.  Flooding has, and will increasingly continue to disproportionately affect those already forcibly displaced or facing mobility restrictions. Children and youth are particularly at risk to the effects of those disasters; in addition, they face exclusion and marginalization on the basis of their ages. 

The environmental and climate change effect on drivers of insecurity

Environmental and climate change has led to worsening economic disparities in Nigeria, a key factor in the country’s rising insecurity. This cycle of flooding has destroyed farmland and livelihoods  and worsened already severe food insecurity, which was declared a state of emergency by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu. The effects of flooding have intensified existing disparities for children and young people, who are severely affected by hunger and malnutrition and face a disproportionately high 42.5 % rate of unemployment in the country. The lack of economic opportunities and the impacts of climate change contribute young people’s decision to move abroad in search of better employment opportunities.

These socioeconomic disparities have far-reaching human security impacts, with youth facing pressure to participate in violence and criminality. Most prominently in the northeast, where 1.9 million people are displaced in Borno, insurgencies like Boko Haram have targeted those facing lack of livelihoods to recruit fighters. Insecurity has also notably prevented girls from receiving consistent education, as non-state armed groups have a precedent of targeting girls who attend school. Flooding has further weakened security infrastructure, undermining defenses against the Islamic State in the West African Province (ISWAP), the militant group overran an informal resettlement camp in an insecure area on the outskirts of Mallam Fatori. 

Environmental change that leads to loss of land has worsened insecurity in the Middle Belt or north-central areas. Pastoralists have been forced to migrate south, infringing on lands and leading to clashes with local farmers. Flooding has a growing role in shifts in farming and pastoralism practices, leading to increased resource competition. For example, the 2022 floods in Guri and Kirikasamma council areas of Jigawa have reduced fertile land, worsening the clashes. Children have been disproportionately affected by the impacts of farmer-herder violence. Clashes have made families flee their homes and lose their livelihoods, in turn increasing safety concerns, dwindling vital resources and infrastructure, and upending access to social support and education for children. 

Flooding and displacement: impacts on safe human mobility

Although the Child Rights Act in Nigeria  provides a legal framework for protection and welfare, families and children, especially those displaced, are already consistently at-risk and face overcrowded conditions. Flooding has only worsened the situation and increased the already existing vulnerability for many of the 3.6 million persons displaced due to conflict or violence living in Nigeria, whether that be in informal settlements, camps, or host communities.  In this, children have been disproportionately affected, representing 60% of the 1.9 million displaced people  by conflict in the northeast of the country. 

The 2022 flooding has, firstly, led to a sharp increase of displacement for children. According to UNICEF, over 800,000 children were directly displaced by this past flooding cycle. In turn, the flooding furthered the already-critical infrastructure and overcrowding concerns, in which children are most at risk of, based on their ages and basic needs. In Benue, for example, the widespread flooding in 12 local government areas, displaced 3,000 people and resulted in 650 households  being temporarily settled in IDP camps. In Kogi, for instance, flood waters caused major damage  to infrastructure, including bridges, schools, hospitals, and residential buildings, which has driven new displacement and relocation. 

The flooding has also caused the destruction and damage of existing camps in states across Nigeria. This has resulted in the direct shut down and closure of camps, forcing prompt relocation and movement of those displaced already, including families and children. For example, in Bayelsa, the government instituted closure of IDP camps because the flooding encompassed most communities in the state. In Borno, the flooding also destroyed more than 6 camps housing  just under 16,000 IDPs, which led to re-settlement in emergency shelters and accommodation. 

The effects of the flooding have made existing conditions even more challenging for children and youth. Once displaced, they face extended issues around fulfilling basic needs and safety.The flooding has furthered these challenges by destroying temporary shelters and resources that are mainly used by families and children, and shutting off access to vital supplies, making them more likely to face further damage and protection concerns. In states such as Borno, in the Rann and Damasak areas, flooding was reported to have completely restricted road access to communities,  representing many displaced families, women, and children who are in immediate need of humanitarian assistance. These types of situations have caused children to face even more sparse access to adequate healthcare; experiencing malnutrition and at-risk of waterborne illnesses, like cholera. Gender-based violence in camps and informal settlements has also heightened social gaps that already disenfranchise girls and limit their opportunities. 

The flooding has curtailed children’s access to consistent education, imperative to their development and future. Schools across affected states have either been forced to close because of damage or converted into temporary camps, primarily used as shelter in the face of the displacement from the flooding. For example, there were reports on disrupted access for students in Kogi because of conditions of overcrowding and lack of enough space for classes to resume. In Jigawa, for instance, the flooding was reported to have destroyed more than 250 schools and healthcare facilities in the area, some of which were in IDP camps. In other cases, the losses of livelihoods from the flooding have caused a surge in children made to work instead of attending school. Displaced children, young people and their families are oftentimes most affected; already facing limitations of schooling and sudden movement to find shelter because of the flooding’s damage. 

The effects of flooding, notably increasing displacement and insecurity and worsening socioeconomic conditions, have lasting implications for children and youth. Because IDPs are likely to remain in camps or informal settlements for over a decade,  freedom of movement and access to essential rights and resources is limited for the long-term. The intergenerational cycle of disenfranchisement and lack of safe mobility has enduring consequences for children, youth and their families, impeding access to vital social and economic opportunities; and by extension, hindering civic engagement. This dynamic limits children, young people, families, and communities from raising critical issues for the long run, restricting their mobility and future. Addressing the sustained impact of flooding on the safe mobility of children and youth is crucial to ensuring equitable access to resources essential for their well-being. Integrating environmental and climate change mitigation practices into broader efforts for civilian protection, is therefore also imperative to addressing the needs of frontline communities. 

The way forward for youth priorities 

The 2022 flooding exacerbated existing cycles of marginalization, leading to displacement, restricting mobility and hindering access to vital services. As communities mobilize against threats to their lives and livelihoods, the needs for protection of civilians, especially the vulnerable one such as children and youth, are, in turn, rapidly escalating. Comprehensive strategies should address critical mobility issues for all children and youth, regardless of socioeconomic or political status, including those displaced, enabling them to exercise their freedom of movement.

Advocacy plays a key role in ensuring that the needs of displaced children and youth are considered in policy decisions. Youth activists have demonstrated remarkable strength and contributions to addressing challenges, including the effects of climate change and an economy with worsening disparities. The full implementation of policies that support principles of youth development, the revised National Youth Policy,  would be a crucial first step towards inclusion. It is especially essential to prioritize how children and youth facing the climate change impacts on their mobility continue to be affected by these critical disparities. 

Safeguarding the welfare of children, youth and the fundamental right to freedom of movement requires comprehensive support. Therefore, the way forward requires an approach that recognizes the agency, rights, and circumstances of children and young people, including those displaced by flooding. A sustained commitment to prioritizing and addressing the political, social, and economic needs of all children and young people and respecting their rights to safe human mobility will support their voices to be heard and build the future of Nigeria.

About the Author:

Rachel STROMSTA Rachel Stromsta is an International Protection Officer at Nonviolent Peaceforce. Formerly, she has served as a program officer at the National Democratic Institute on efforts to promote peaceful and inclusive democratic processes and has supported the Institute’s election observation mission to Nigeria’s 2023 polls. Previously, she interned with the Advocates for Human Rights, focused on international human rights report submissions to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and International Covenant on Civil Political Rights (ICCPR) sessions. While studying for a semester at the International Conflict Research Institute at Ulster University, Rachel interned with Children in Crossfire, assisting development and peace education workshops in Northern Ireland. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Macalester College.

This article is part of the IOM Blog Series: Youth Voices on Migration, Environment and Climate Change

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