Stakeholders have called for inclusive climate policies, increased community participation and early interventions to tackle Nigeria’s growing environmental challenges, particularly in rural areas.

The appeal was made at a Multi-Stakeholder Climate Governance Dialogue organised by the Development of Educational Action Network (DEAN) in Abuja on Thursday. The meeting examined findings from the Community Climate Story Lab in Paiko.

The dialogue was held under DEAN’s project, titled “Connecting Sahel Climate Stories to Local Governance Realities In Nigeria,” with support from the Pulitzer Center.

DEAN Executive Director, Mr Semiye Michael, said worsening environmental conditions required closer cooperation between government institutions and local communities, especially as Nigeria continued to expand its digital infrastructure.

He warned that although data centres offer economic and technological benefits, their expansion could intensify environmental pressures, including rising temperatures and water shortages in communities already affected by climate change.

“Connecting the community stories in the Sahel to the reality of climate change is becoming essential because we are having a lot of environmental complications.

“This is especially as the digital infrastructures are expanding, so also the environmental implications are also expanding,” he said.

Michael observed that the environmental costs of technological advancement frequently received less attention because its immediate economic and technological benefits were more apparent.

He particularly raised concerns about the significant water requirements for cooling data centres, warning that this could place additional pressure on water resources in host communities.

According to him, a data centre with a capacity of one megawatt could consume approximately 70,000 litres of water daily.

“Some data centres are as large as 20 to 25 Megawatts,” he said.

He urged members of the public to understand the potential environmental consequences of these facilities and demand information about measures being implemented to address their impact.

Michael also pointed to a directive by the Central Bank of Nigeria requiring financial institutions and payment service providers to store and manage locally generated payment transaction data within the country from January 1, 2027.

He said the directive could contribute to increased demand for local data centre infrastructure, making it important to address its environmental implications.

According to him, rising temperatures and declining water availability are worsening economic difficulties and affecting established weather patterns.

He stressed the need for appropriate policies before further expansion of data centres to ensure that technological development does not leave surrounding communities facing water shortages.

The DEAN executive director also encouraged communities to understand their exposure to environmental risks and take preventive measures, rather than allowing political considerations to overshadow issues affecting their welfare, livelihoods and agricultural productivity.

He explained that the dialogue was designed to encourage discussions on policies and practical measures that would shield communities from environmental damage while allowing them to benefit from technological progress.

He added that the initiative also sought to strengthen local capacity by helping communities prepare for environmental challenges through the establishment of local committees, development of partnerships and access to assistance where necessary.

Also speaking at the event, a youth leader in Gwalgwalada, Mr Usman Mohamed, called for greater participation of young people in climate-related policymaking, budgetary decisions and the implementation of environmental interventions.

Mohammed identified declining access to water and the loss of livelihoods as some of the consequences of environmental degradation affecting rural communities.

He urged governments, development organisations and community leaders to improve consultation and cooperation so that climate interventions would reflect local conditions and contribute to sustainable development.

In her contribution, Ms Chioma Amudi, National Desk Officer for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) at the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), said climate considerations should be integrated into infrastructure projects at every stage of their development and operation.

Amudi explained that infrastructure decisions across the power, transport, housing, water and waste management sectors could either worsen climate change or improve communities’ ability to withstand its effects.

She maintained that Nigeria needed to transition from conventional development approaches to climate-resilient infrastructure capable of supporting economic growth, safeguarding ecosystems and generating employment opportunities.

SOURCE: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)