In the heart of the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands—35,000 hectares of lush habitat between Jigawa and Yobe states in northeastern Nigeria—the skies remain alive with movement.
Pelicans, sandpipers, storks, and ducks glide above in perfect choreography. But their journey now carries more than seasonal beauty. It carries a warning.
These migratory birds, once symbols of continuity and abundance, are messengers of Nigeria’s twin crises: climate change and food insecurity.
“Migratory birds are telling us that the land is sick,” says Dr. Stella Egbe, Senior Conservation Manager, Species Program at the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF). “Birds that used to arrive in large flocks in October now come in smaller numbers, later—or not at all.”
For generations, birds migrating from Europe and Asia relied on Nigeria’s predictable climate, fertile wetlands, and vast stopover zones. Now, those systems are collapsing.
As climate change scrambles weather patterns, rainfall has become erratic. Wetlands flood out of season or dry up prematurely. Rivers vanish. Fertile land becomes dust.
“When key stopover sites like Hadejia-Nguru or the Niger Delta’s coastal swamps become unreliable, the birds lose their feeding and breeding grounds,” Dr. Egbe explains. “And what’s bad for birds is often worse for people.”
BirdLife International has documented similar trends across continents. In Nigeria, 27 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) covering over 31,000 square kilometers are under threat. Yet, eleven wetlands—now Ramsar sites—remain ecological lifelines. These include Hadejia-Nguru Wetlands, Lake Chad, Malamfatori Lake, Nguru Lake, Jama’are River Basin, Lower Kaduna–Middle Niger, Ogun River floodplain, Okomu National Park Wetlands, Upper Niger floodplain, and Apoi Creek Forest.
In Nigeria’s food basket states—Benue, Nasarawa, Kebbi—climate disruption is now synonymous with failed harvests. “We planted maize three times this year,” says Isiaka Usman, a farmer from Nasarawa now working as a security guard in Lagos. “Each time, the rain either stopped too early or came back too strong. We lost everything.”
Deforestation, flooding, desertification, and drought have created conditions that neither birds nor farmers can survive. Even native crops like Nkasi panya—a cocoyam variety once common in Arochukwu, Abia State—have disappeared.
The economic toll is staggering. A 50kg bag of rice, once ₦15,000, now sells for ₦70,000–₦90,000 in Lagos. Though inflation and insecurity play a role, climate change is a silent driver. The UN has projected that millions of Nigerians will face acute food insecurity by 2025—and the birds have already raised the alarm.
In communities like Ologbo in Edo State and Ibeju-Lekki in Lagos, as well as institutions like the University of Lagos, migratory birds are not just studied—they are celebrated. Annual birdwatching festivals have become platforms for climate education. “We teach children that when birds don’t return, it means something is wrong,” says Dr. Excellence Akeredolu, Coordinator of the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER), UNILAG chapter.
“Birdwatching was amazing! We identified many birds, and I am happy to be a bird ambassador,” said a student participant during a World Wetlands Day event hosted by SER.
The NCF, during its 36th Annual General Meeting in Lagos, reported progress in environmental education. It has established hundreds of conservation clubs in secondary schools across Nigeria, with birdwatching as a flagship activity.
International allies are also stepping up. Wetlands International and the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) have launched joint projects with Nigerian agencies to safeguard bird flyways and habitats—combining satellite tracking, wetland restoration, and local awareness.
There is also the Climate‑Resilient East Atlantic Flyway (CREAF), a multi‑partner initiative led by Wetlands International and the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat, with BirdLife International and others. Launched in April–May 2025 with support from Germany’s International Climate Initiative (IKI), CREAF focuses on protecting 9–11 critical wetland sites across West Africa, including Nigeria.
The project targets climate threats—sea-level rise, flooding, coastal erosion, drought—and human pressures to safeguard biodiversity and community well‑being at these wetlands. Under the initiative, the NCF has reportedly identified 2,871 birds across 55 species in Nigeria’s coastal wetlands.
Despite the bleak trends, experts say Nigeria still has a chance to act. The NCF is restoring degraded lands and regenerating habitats across 21 states and the FCT. Its success stories include the Lekki Conservation Centre (78 hectares, Lagos), Becheve Nature Reserve (120 hectares, Cross River), Finima Nature Park and 1,000 hectares in Bonny Island (Rivers State), and the Hadejia-Nguru Wetlands.
According to Chief Philip Asiodu, President of NCF’s Board of Trustees, the foundation has helped over 11,000 beneficiaries, created 7,500 green jobs, and facilitated 42 new environmental careers in the past year alone.
“These efforts, supported by both international and local donors, are transitioning communities from dependency to resilience,” he said.
In Yankari Game Reserve, Bauchi State, grassland management and wildfire control have revived migratory crane populations. In Kainji Lake National Park, local fishers are now co-managing resources with ecologists.
As another flock of glossy ibises rises from Nigeria’s embattled wetlands, their cries slice through the sky—a call not of migration, but of urgency. Where they once told stories of seasonal arrival, they now warn of dying rivers, rising heat, and vanishing crops.
Whether Nigeria listens to these winged messengers may determine more than the future of its birds. It may shape the destiny of its food, people, and survival in a rapidly changing world.
Reporting by Innocent Onoh