Climate change a national security threat – NDC commandant

The Commandant, National Defence College, Rear Adm. Abdullahi Ahmed, has described climate change as a growing strategic national security threat that requires concrete military preparedness.

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 gone beyond environmental and developmental concerns, stressing that it now posed serious risks to national stability and human security.

He called for stronger military preparedness and multi-stakeholder collaboration to address climate-driven insecurity in Nigeria.

“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 urged defence institutions, government agencies, development partners and local communities to work together to build resilience and develop sustainable responses to emerging threats.

He also encouraged participants to actively 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 possible to discuss governance, economic growth or political stability without considering the impact of climate change.

Ahmed 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 tackle climate-induced security threats.

He commended partners and stakeholders for their continued support and urged participants to leverage the forum to develop practical and sustainable solutions to the evolving challenge.

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 was designed to deepen understanding of the climate–security relationship and to generate practical recommendations for defence and security institutions.

It seeks to engage senior military personnel, policymakers, academics, development partners, and climate-security practitioners in strategic dialogue focused on mitigating climate-driven insecurity in Nigeria.

Participants were drawn from the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Officials from the Ministry of Defence and relevant MDAs, Security experts, academics, and researchers, among others.

(NAN)