Nation

Climate Change To Cost Nigeria $460bn By 2050-Expert

Published

4 years ago

August 10, 2022

The Director, Centre for Climate Change and Development at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ebonyi State, Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, has said that climate change would cost Nigeria about $460 billion by 2050 if action was not taken to mitigate its effects.
Okereke disclosed this in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of the ninth international Lagos Climate Change Summit in Lagos.
“Climate change is costing Nigeria already $100 billion per annum. And that this amount will rise to about $460 billion per annum by 2050.
“And this represents a huge amount of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“From 2020 till now, climate change is already costing N15 trillion, representing two to 11 per cent of the GDP, by 2050 climate change will be costing N69 trillion, representing six to 30 per cent of the GDP,” Okereke said.
The expert, who is also a visiting professor to Oxford University, said climate change was already having untold effect on flooding and rising sea levels in the country.
According to Okereke, flooding is already affecting 25 million people in Nigeria.
“In Yenegoa, there are 302,782 people estimated to be exposed to high flood risk along the Niger-Benue basin in the Niger Delta area with 630km of land susceptible to flooding.
“In Lagos, 375,000 people are exposed to flooding; the number will increase to about 3.2 million people by 2050.
“The direct estimate of damage and loss is N1.48 trillion. The total damage and loss, including indirect ones due to flooding is about N2.6 trillion,” Okereke said.
He said that with the rise in sea level, an estimated 27 to 53 million people in the country might need to be relocated with a 0.5m increase in sea levels.
Okereke said that coastal settlements like Bonny, Forcados, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri and Calabar were at risk with vast amount of oil infrastructure.
He noted that the country had mapped out a lot of interesting policies to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Okereke listed the policies as long-term sustainability plan to achieve a net zero emission target by 2060 and determined contribution to aggressively embark on actions to mitigate the impact change.
“All these are very fascinating, interesting policies.
“However, the action on the ground does not come anywhere near what is needed to arrest the situation to address the impact of climate change and to also reduce emissions from economic wide activity.
“So, we have a situation where we have a lot of various policies, documents, but very limited action on the ground and this worries me because I have been shouting that climate change poses an existential threat to Nigeria,” Okereke said.

He urged the government to match action with the right policies to achieving the desired result.

“We need to inject a lot of finance and a lot of action to stem the problem of climate change,” Okereke said.

He noted that the impact of climate change on our agricultural system was extremely high.

Okereke said that many Nigerians engage in one kind of agricultural activity or the other and agriculture constitutes about 26 per cent of the nation’s GDP.

“With climate change, you will have drought and it will affect different crops and impose even stronger, negative implications on food security system in the country.

“I have also argued that the depletion of the groundwater around the country caused by climate change and movement of people from the north to the south thereby fuelling insecurity.

“So, you have desertification in the north, flooding in the West, you have erosion in the east and deforestation in the south.

“And all of these things are threatening the existence and the wellbeing of millions of Nigerians,” Okereke said.

Nation

Rivers Commissioner Commends WAEC Conduct, Vows Sanctions for Malpractice

Published

1 week ago

June 2, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, has commended the orderly conduct of the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination in the state and urged schools to sustain the standard.

Dr. Nwagor gave the commendation on Tuesday during a monitoring tour of selected secondary schools in Port Harcourt and environs where the WAEC exam is ongoing.

The commissioner, who was accompanied by directors and monitors from the Ministry of Education, said he was impressed with the peaceful atmosphere at the centres visited.

“The students conducted themselves properly and wrote their papers under conducive conditions. Invigilators and supervisors also performed their duties professionally,” he stated.

Nwagor noted that the Rivers State Government had invested heavily to ensure the smooth and credible conduct of the examination across the state

He urged candidates to reciprocate government’s effort by shunning all forms of examination malpractice and focusing on their studies.

“Government has done so much to ensure successful examinations in our schools. Students should take advantage of it by remaining focused,” the commissioner said.

While no case of malpractice was recorded in the centres inspected, Dr. Nwagor warned that any principal, teacher, invigilator, or official caught aiding malpractice would face strict sanctions in line with regulations.

He also commended school administrators, teachers, WAEC officials, and security personnel for upholding the integrity of the process.

Centres visited included County Grammar School, Ikwerre/Etche; Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri; Government Secondary School, Borokiri; and Pabod Model Secondary School.

Nation

THE LAPSES OF THE MEDIA IN ELECTIONS

Published

2 weeks ago

May 29, 2026

The Tide

The media is supposed to be a platform through which people express their thoughts, beliefs, and opinions on issues of public interest. Unfortunately, it has often failed to live up to its role as the fourth estate of the realm.During the 2023 elections, the media recorded several lapses that deserve critical examination in academic and professional spaces. Before discussing these failures in detail, it is important to briefly explain the meaning, role, and duties of the media. In simple terms, the media refers to the main channels of mass communication, including broadcasting, print publishing, and the internet.

It is a collective term for all means through which information reaches the public. The media is often called the fourth tier of government because of the popular saying, “No media, no society.” This is not an exaggeration. Scholars have shown that the media plays an integral role in society, since political, economic, religious, and academic activities all depend on information flow through the media.

The word MEDIA can be broken down to reflect its core functions: M – Meeting the People E – Educating the People D – Discussing with the People I – Involving the People A – Accessing the PeopleSpecifically during elections, the media is expected to provide accurate and timely information to the public by reporting and updating citizens on government and electoral activities. This responsibility is central to keeping the electorate informed.The media also strengthens democracy by engaging citizens on critical issues affecting the electoral process. When the media effectively disseminates relevant information, the public can see through the failures of government, hold leaders accountable, and propose solutions that serve the common good.

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram play a vital role in democratic societies because they allow mass participation. Unlike radio and television, social media is accessible to anyone with a smartphone and data bundle, making it the most inclusive platform for political discourse. Despite these roles, the media must not abandon its ethics or promote partisan agendas that mislead the public. In many schools of thought, the media is described as closely related to the judiciary.

People often see the media as a place to voice grievances and seek justice.However, it is fair to say that the media has lost ground by failing to fulfill its duties during elections. Below are ten key lapses observed in the February 2023 elections.Lack of coordination among journalists. Many press personnel who covered different polling units were poorly equipped and unprepared. Some lacked functional cameras and modern technology needed to carry out professional reporting.

Partisanship and breach of ethics. Media personnel, who are supposed to remain non-partisan, openly violated professional ethics by taking political sides and favoring certain candidates in their reporting.Commercialization of coverage. Some journalists prioritized money over news. It was disappointing to see professionals from reputable stations engaging in what I call “Oga, find me something syndrome” begging politicians for money in exchange for favorable coverage or interviews.Loss of independence and self-censorship. On election day, some journalists took instructions from politicians on what to report and what to suppress. This compromised the independence of the media and reduced public trust.

Poor post-election reporting. Few media outlets reported what actually happened at the polling units. Incidents of violence, voter intimidation, and irregularities were either underreported or ignored entirely, while praise was lavished on politicians instead of amplifying the voices of the people.Spread of misinformation and unverified claims. In the rush to be first, some media houses published unverified results and rumors from social media without fact-checking. This fueled confusion and tension among the electorate.Inadequate coverage of rural and marginalized areas. Media attention was concentrated in urban centers, leaving rural polling units underreported. The experiences and challenges of rural voters were largely absent from mainstream coverage.

Sensationalism over substance. Some outlets prioritized sensational headlines and conflict-driven stories over factual analysis of policies and candidate manifestos, leaving voters uninformed about real issues. Failure to hold INEC accountable in real time. While INEC faced logistical failures and delays, many media houses were slow to question officials or demand explanations on air, missing opportunities for live accountability.

Neglect of voter education. Beyond reporting results, the media did little to educate voters on procedures, rights, and what to do in case of irregularities. This left many citizens uninformed and vulnerable on election day.These lapses weaken public trust and undermine the credibility of the electoral process. For the media to regain its role as a watchdog of democracy, it must return to the principles of accuracy, impartiality, and public service.

The media must be informed to follow its ethics as the 2027 elections approaches. This is encourage electorates rely on the authenticity and objectivity of media practice.Failure to uphold media standards will further make the country plunge into political apathy, electoral violence and disgust for those in the media practice.

By KRUKRUBO, NYE TAMUNODIKI.

Nation

RSU, Otonti Nduka Foundation Holds Centenary Conference, Unveil Book on Values in Nigeria

Published

3 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State University and the Otonti Nduka Foundation for Values Education jointly hosted a two-day National Conference on 8 and 9 May 2026 to examine the state of values in Nigeria.

The two days conference held at Rivers State University convocation arena brought together academics, policymakers, legal experts and education leaders under the theme _“Trends and Challenges in Upholding Values in Nigeria.”_

The gathering focused on policy gaps, curriculum reform, and the role of ethics in public service and education.

The event opened on Friday with remarks from Vice Chancellor Prof. Chief Isaac Zeb-Obipi, who stressed the need to address declining moral and civic values across Nigeria’s education and public sectors. A book of abstracts for the plenary sessions was also presented to participants.

Key speakers included former Attorney General Chief Dr Kanu Agabi, SAN; NERDC Executive Secretary Prof. Shehu Salisu; Prof. Hauwa Imam, FNAE, of the University of Abuja; former Rivers SUBEB Chairman Ven Dr Fyneface Akah, ; former NIMASA DG Dr Hon. Dakuku Adol-Peterside; and RSU Director of ICT Prof. Sunny Orike.

Discussions centered on integrating values education into schools, tertiary institutions and public institutions, alongside the impact of technology on moral development among young Nigerians. Panel and plenary sessions produced practical recommendations for curriculum and policy reform.

On Saturday, the foundation marked its centenary with the unveiling of the book _Otonti Nduka in History_, launched by Chief Engr. Grant Offor, FNSE. The Nigerian Academy of Education held a ceremonial procession led by its President Prof. Olu Jegede and the Ikwerre Professors Forum.

In a communiqué, participants called for stronger collaboration between government, civil society and academia to mainstream values education nationwide. They recommended reviewing teacher training curricula and expanding digital platforms to promote ethical civic engagement, with the foundation pledging to share the outcomes with education authorities for implementation.

Dignitaries present included Ogbakor Ikwerre Worldwide as Chief Host, Prof. Emeritus Chief T. Uzodimma Nwala, the Ikenga 1 of Mbaise and first philosophy student of Prof. Otonti Nduka, alongside scholars and community leaders.

Amadi Akujobi