Last week, my seven-year-old niece asked a question that left the entire room quiet. “Mummy, why is it raining in the dry season?” Nobody wanted to be the one to tell her the truth. Because what’s falling from the sky in January isn’t magic. It’s not an exception. It’s the new rule. It’s called climate change. And while some may still be debating its arrival, Nigeria is already living in its shadow. Take a look around. Floods are destroying farmlands in Benue. The harmattan now waits until March to make its late and awkward entrance. Lagos Island is steadily losing ground to the Atlantic Ocean. Once peaceful rural communities are witnessing rising tensions between farmers and herders fighting for shrinking natural resources. These are not distant threats. They are disruptions happening in real time. Right here. Right now. Climate change is a long-term shift in global weather patterns. At its core are human activities like deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels that release greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. These gases trap heat in our atmosphere, warming the planet and throwing our seasons, rainfalls, and harvest cycles into chaos. The United Nations describes it as the defining issue of our time. And for us in Nigeria, that time is no longer a prediction. It is today. From erratic rainfall that ruins planting seasons to heatwaves that feel like punishment, from disappearing rivers to floods that leave whole towns underwater, climate change is rewriting the script of daily life in Nigeria. It affects everything from the cost of your tomatoes to the safety of your home. Imagine this. A farmer in Nasarawa can no longer predict when to plant maize. A market woman in Lagos watches prices spike because the crops are fewer and the transport routes are flooded. A startup in Abeokuta struggles with even more power outages due to falling hydroelectric output. This is not an environmental issue on the sidelines. It is economic, it is social, and it is deeply personal. The numbers speak for themselves. Nigeria loses over 100 billion dollars every year to climate-related issues including desertification, poor agricultural yields, displacement, rising health concerns, and property damage. These losses are not limited to rural areas or remote towns. They ripple through markets, urban centres, tech hubs, and even your neighbourhood. But this is not a doom story. It’s a wake-up call. And there’s a lot we can do. We can start by switching to cleaner energy sources like solar and modern cooking fuels. That age-old firewood stove may be a cultural staple, but it is also contributing to deforestation. We can reduce single-use plastics, which block our drainage systems and worsen urban flooding. Planting trees is not just symbolic. It actively cools the environment, reduces carbon, and preserves biodiversity. Supporting eco-friendly businesses is not a trend. It is an investment in resilience. And perhaps most importantly, we must talk about it. Climate change denial is a luxury we cannot afford. At FirstBank, we are not just aware of these issues. We are acting on them. Through energy-efficient policies, green banking practices, and sustainable financing options, we are committed to building a future where profit and the planet go hand in hand. Because when we say You First, we mean your world too. That includes the air you breathe, the land you grow on, and the future your children will inherit. The truth is simple. We only have one Earth. And it is already asking for help. Let’s answer that call together. References Ladybird Limited World Bank National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) https://www.firstbanknigeria.com
