The Commandant of the National Defence College (NDC), Rear Adm. Abdullahi Ahmed, has described climate change as an emerging national security threat, urging concrete military preparedness to address its impacts.
Ahmed made the call on Monday in Abuja while declaring open a roundtable on military response to climate-driven energy security challenges.
He said climate change had transcended environmental and developmental concerns, stressing that it now posed serious risks to national stability and human security.
“Climate change is no longer solely an environmental issue but a strategic and security concern with far-reaching implications for our national stability,” he said.
The commandant called for enhanced military readiness and stronger collaboration among stakeholders to tackle climate-driven insecurity in the country.
He urged defence institutions, government agencies, development partners, and local communities to work together to build resilience and develop sustainable responses to emerging threats.
Ahmed also encouraged participants to contribute ideas that would help shape effective strategies to safeguard the nation against climate-induced challenges.
In a goodwill message, the Provost, Centre for Strategic Research and Studies, NDC, Prof. Adam Ahmed, said it was no longer feasible to discuss governance, economic growth, or political stability without considering the impact of climate change.
He noted that many global conflicts and crises were increasingly linked to climate-related factors, including competition over scarce resources and environmental stress.
“Across the world, climate realities are shaping security dynamics, and in many cases, the military is called upon to respond when these pressures escalate,” he said.
Ahmed emphasised the need for the armed forces to deepen their understanding of climate dynamics and develop appropriate response mechanisms to effectively address climate-induced security threats.
He commended partners and stakeholders for their continued support and urged participants to utilise the forum to develop practical and sustainable solutions.
The roundtable was organised by the Centre for Strategic Research and Studies of the NDC in collaboration with the Sustainable Development Training Centre.
The event aimed to deepen understanding of the climate-security nexus and generate actionable recommendations for defence and security institutions.
It brought together senior military personnel, policymakers, academics, development partners, and climate-security practitioners to engage in strategic dialogue on mitigating climate-driven insecurity in Nigeria.
Participants included members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, officials from the Ministry of Defence, and representatives of relevant ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), as well as security experts and researchers.
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