Nigeria Climate
Top 5 Cities: Lagos, Kano, Ibadan, Abuja, and Port Harcourt
This month in numbers
Nigeria experienced its 5th warmest April on record, with an average temperature of 31°C, an anomaly of +1.3°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. The period of February–April 2026 was the 4th warmest on record for Nigeria, with an average temperature of 30.05°C, an anomaly of +1.5°C. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April on record for land temperatures, with the February–April period also ranking as the 2nd warmest globally.
What changed
The past three months have seen Nigeria experiencing significantly warmer conditions, placing it among the top 5 warmest on record for this period. This trend aligns with the broader global picture, which also saw the last three months rank as the 2nd warmest for global land temperatures. This warming is part of a long-term trend for Nigeria, with 2025 being the warmest year on record. Nigeria's 1-month anomaly of +1.29°C places it 144th out of 234 regions, while its 3-month anomaly of +1.53°C ranks it 136th.
What’s driving change?
The warming trend in Nigeria is influenced by global climate change, with the country experiencing more extreme heatwaves and unpredictable rainfall patterns. Reports indicate that extreme daytime temperatures above 40°C were recorded across 23 Nigerian cities between March and June 2025. The disruption in established weather cycles is evident, with off-season rains and intense heat being observed. This increased climate variability is also contributing to a rise in flooding events, which are the most frequent and destructive natural hazard in Nigeria. The effect is also a significant factor in cities like Lagos, where inadequate storm drainage and uncontrolled development exacerbate the impact of heavy rainfall.
Looking ahead
The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) has warned of a high risk of widespread flooding in 2026, with the peak expected between July and September.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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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 trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see 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.