A systematic review of climate change and its health outcomes on populations in Nigeria

Climate change poses increasing threats to population health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries with high environmental and socioeconomic vulnerability. Nigeria experiences diverse climate hazards, including rising temperatures, flooding, drought, and rainfall variability, which may adversely affect multiple health outcomes. This systematic review synthesized available evidence on climate change-related health outcomes among Nigerian populations. A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Five electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, ScienceDirect, and African Journals Online) were searched for eligible studies published between 2012 and 2026. Original quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies examining climate-related exposures and health outcomes in Nigeria were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool 2018, and findings were synthesized narratively. Quality appraisal identified nine high-quality, eighteen moderate-quality, and five low-quality studies. Thirty-two studies were included, comprising predominantly cross-sectional surveys, alongside time-series, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies. Five major climate–health pathways were identified: thermal stress and heat-related morbidity, waterborne and vector-borne infectious diseases, food and nutrition insecurity, mental health and psychosocial distress, and respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. Flooding and temperature-related exposures were the most frequently investigated climate hazards. The evidence base was geographically uneven, with urban settings and the Southwest geopolitical zone most represented. Climate change is already exerting substantial and multifaceted health impacts across Nigeria. However, important geographical and methodological gaps remain. Strengthening climate-sensitive surveillance, climate-resilient health systems, and longitudinal and intervention-based research is essential to support evidence-informed adaptation and public health responses.

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