Nigeria Climate – June 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Lagos, Kano, Ibadan, Abuja, and Port Harcourt
This month in numbers
Nigeria experienced its 2nd warmest June on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 28.37°C, an anomaly of +1.4°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. The April–June 2026 period also ranked as the 4th warmest on record, with an average temperature of 29.81°C, an anomaly of +1.3°C. Globally, June 2026 was the 3rd warmest on record for land temperatures, with the April–June period ranking as the 2nd warmest.
What changed
Nigeria's consistently high temperatures this past month and season align with a broader warming trend. The country's 1-month anomaly for June 2026 was 0.22°C cooler than the overall Africa group average, which saw a +1.58°C anomaly. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted generally warmer temperatures across most parts of the country for 2026.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warmth in Nigeria is largely driven by the , where tropical regions already experience high temperatures, and the effect in densely populated areas. The country is also experiencing , with NiMet forecasting variable rainfall patterns, prolonged dry spells, and a severe "August Break" (little dry season) in some areas. This comes amidst significant flooding across West Africa, including Nigeria, during June and early July, which has displaced hundreds and resulted in dozens of fatalities. NiMet had previously warned of probable flash floods in 19 states for 2026, and heavy rainfall in late June led to widespread flooding in Lagos.
Looking ahead
NiMet's 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction, based on a projected weak La Niña and a neutral phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation, forecasts an early to normal onset of the rainy season, normal to late cessation, and normal to above-normal rainfall and season duration, with temperatures likely to be above normal for most parts of the country.
Sources:
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Nigeria
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Nigeria – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Records – Nigeria
Our World in Data / NOAA - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Wet / dry seasonsKöppen Aw · TropicalNigeria doesn't have a warm/cold cycle - its monthly temperature range is only 5.0°C across the year - but it does have a strong wet/dry cycle (the wettest month gets 46× as much rain as the driest). So we track how the wet season has shifted instead.
Monthly rainfall climatology. A “wet month” exceeds the baseline monthly mean (dashed gold line). Biggest month-to-month shift: Aug (+17 mm, +8%).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Rainfall & Precipitation
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Headline: anomaly vs the 1961–1990 mean. Small figure: the actual value. Rank: position in the full record (1st = highest ever). Record: highest (or lowest) value on record with its year.
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Nigeria
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Nigeria changing?
Nigeria is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Nigeria come from?
Climate data for Nigeria comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Nigeria climate data cover?
The Nigeria climate profile covers Lagos, Kano, Ibadan, Abuja and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Nigeria
How often is the Nigeria climate update refreshed?
The Nigeria climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.