A climate technology expert, Anslem Onyebuchi Otutu, has called for stronger adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and geospatial data tools to improve Nigeria’s response to worsening climate and environmental challenges.
Otutu, a geophysicist, said this in a statement issued on Saturday, while reacting to the Federal Government’s recent flood alert warning residents of 15 states to prepare for heavy rainfall between August 10 and 14, 2025.
According to him, the environmental problems Nigeria faces are already straining food security, public health, and infrastructure.
“Nigeria grapples with many climate challenges, which include recurrent severe flooding, notably the one in 2022, where over 600 people died and 1.4 million were displaced, and the recent Mokwa flooding that resulted in over 500 fatalities,” he said.
He added that droughts in the north continue to drive desertification and conflicts, while gully erosion in the southeast threatens communities and infrastructure. “Gullied land in the southeast tripled between 1976 and 2006,” he noted.
Otutu said that although governments at various levels have made attempts to address the challenges, the measures are often inadequate. “Responses are mixed. For example, in the recent Mokwa flooding, rapid response efforts were initiated, including federal deployment and emergency aid, yet infrastructure deficits and poor planning remain critical issues,” he explained.
He emphasised that new technologies can strengthen disaster preparedness and reduce long-term risks. “Artificial intelligence, especially when combined with geospatial data, offers powerful tools for mapping hazards, modelling risks, and enabling timely responses,” he said.
He explained that “geospatial AI can integrate satellite imagery, weather data, and terrain models to predict floods and droughts, optimise resource allocation, and support land-use planning. It turns raw data into actionable insights that can inform disaster, agricultural, and environmental policy.”
Otutu identified platforms such as Africa Geoportal and Google Earth Engine as tools already enabling researchers, NGOs, and communities to assess flood risks and develop early warning systems. “They enable faster, informed responses even in resource-constrained settings,” he said.
To improve resilience, he urged government investment in early warning systems, real-time monitoring, critical infrastructure such as dams, enforcement of environmental regulations, reforestation, and sustainable land management.
He also recommended data-driven decision-making using AI, machine learning, and geospatial analytics. “If the government wants to effectively manage Nigeria’s climate and environmental realities in a way that guarantees food security, public health, and infrastructure, it must integrate these technologies to forecast, plan, and adapt,” he said.
Otutu further called for partnerships to support innovation. “Investments in AI technologies and capacity building can better prepare Nigeria for a future where climate and flood challenges can be effectively predicted and properly managed,” he said, urging public-private collaborations and research between universities and government to refine predictive models tailored to Nigeria’s terrain and climate.
