Nigeria's Urban Future Threatened by Informal Settlements

At the Second International Conference of the Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Bayero University Kano, Professor Abdulazeez Raji stated that over one billion people globally live in informal settlements, which are highly vulnerable to climate change. He highlighted that Nigeria's goal of reducing emissions by 32 percent by 2035 and achieving net zero by 2060 cannot be met while millions reside in unplanned communities.

Raji called for a paradigm shift in policy, urging the government and development partners to view these communities as active participants in designing climate-resilient solutions. Professor Ahmed Muhammad Tsauni, representing the Vice Chancellor, noted that climate change is evident in Northern Nigeria through extreme weather events.

He stressed the importance of involving residents of informal settlements in developing solutions. Professor Adamu Idris Tanko warned that unchecked informal land markets in cities like Kano exacerbate vulnerability and called for government intervention in land planning.

The conference featured over 60 papers on various themes related to climate action and sustainable communities.