Climate of Nigeria

A map snowing the various Köppen climate classification zones of Nigeria. There are five colors defining the distinct zones.
Nigeria map of Köppen climate classification

The climate of Nigeria is mostly tropical. Nigeria has three distinct climatic zones,[1][2] two seasons, and an average temperature ranging between 21 °C and 35 °C.[2] Two major elements determine the temperature in Nigeria: the altitude of the sun and the atmosphere's transparency (as determined by the dual interplay of rainfall and humidity).[2] Its rainfall is mediated by three distinct conditions including convectional, frontal, and orographical determinants.[2] Statistics from the World Bank Group showed Nigeria's annual temperature and rainfall variations, the nation's highest average annual mean temperature was 28.1 °C in 1938,[1] while its wettest year was 1957 with an annual mean rainfall of 1,441.45mm.[1]

The climate has a significant impact on the country's agriculture, economy, and society. The rainy season is the most important time for agriculture, as it is the time when most crops are planted and harvested.[3][4] The dry season is a time of drought, which can lead to water shortages and crop failures.[5] The high temperatures and humidity can also be uncomfortable and can lead to health problems.[6] Nigeria's climate is influenced by its geographical location, topography, and the interactions of various air masses.[7] Nigeria is situated in West Africa, between latitudes 4°N and 14°N, and longitudes 2°E and 14°E.[8] It experiences a tropical climate characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons.[9]

  1. ^ a b c "World Bank Group: Climate Change Knowledge Portal For Development Practitioners and Policy Makers".
  2. ^ a b c d "PUBLICATIONS AND BULLETINS - Nigerian Meteorological Agency". 25 January 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  3. ^ Dalrymple, Dana G. (December 1985). "The Development and Adoption of High‐Yielding Varieties of Wheat and Rice in Developing Countries". American Journal of Agricultural Economics. 67 (5): 1067–1073. doi:10.2307/1241374. ISSN 0002-9092. JSTOR 1241374. S2CID 154818278.
  4. ^ Andrews, D. J. (April 1972). "Intercropping with Sorghum in Nigeria". Experimental Agriculture. 8 (2): 139–150. doi:10.1017/s001447970000510x. ISSN 0014-4797. S2CID 86113578.
  5. ^ Rockström, Johan; Barron, Jennie (25 January 2007). "Water productivity in rainfed systems: overview of challenges and analysis of opportunities in water scarcity prone savannahs". Irrigation Science. 25 (3): 299–311. doi:10.1007/s00271-007-0062-3. ISSN 0342-7188. S2CID 27135843.
  6. ^ Bell, Paul A. (January 1981). "Physiological, Comfort, Performance, and Social Effects of Heat Stress". Journal of Social Issues. 37 (1): 71–94. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.1981.tb01058.x. ISSN 0022-4537.
  7. ^ Tukur, Abubakar; Nabegu, Aliyu; Abba Umar, Da’u; Olofin, Emmanuel; Sulaiman, Wan (9 February 2018). "Groundwater Condition and Management in Kano Region, Northwestern Nigeria". Hydrology. 5 (1): 16. doi:10.3390/hydrology5010016. ISSN 2306-5338.
  8. ^ Anuforom, Anthony C. (December 2007). "Spatial distribution and temporal variability of Harmattan dust haze in sub-Sahel West Africa". Atmospheric Environment. 41 (39): 9079–9090. doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.08.003. ISSN 1352-2310.
  9. ^ "Creative margins: three women in post-war French landscape architecture", Women, Modernity, and Landscape Architecture, Routledge, pp. 129–147, 11 February 2015, doi:10.4324/9781315732961-11, ISBN 978-1-315-73296-1, retrieved 6 June 2023