FACILITY FOCUS
Kenny Akintola
Nigerians are already battling NEPA, gas costs, meals costs and landlords who imagine lease ought to enhance each time you sneeze. Now, the climate might have one other shock for us. Please, what precisely have we carried out?
Meet El Niño, a local weather phenomenon making headlines round the world. Scientists are warning that the 2026–2027 occasion may turn out to be exceptionally sturdy. Before anyone begins shopping for mills to energy their standing followers, allow us to perceive what this might imply for Nigeria.
El Niño happens when components of the Pacific Ocean turn out to be unusually heat, influencing climate patterns round the world. A robust occasion can have an effect on temperatures and rainfall, growing the danger of drought in some locations and different climate extremes elsewhere. However, Nigeria’s precise expertise stays unsure, so there isn’t any want to panic simply but.
So, what may this imply for Nigerians?
First, warmth. Imagine Lagos site visitors at 2 p.m., no breeze, your AC struggling like a civil servant ready for promotion, and gas costs taking a look at you with wickedness. Higher temperatures may make life much more uncomfortable, particularly for outside employees, the aged and weak folks.
Then comes meals. If rainfall turns into unfavourable in farming areas, crops may endure, livestock might battle for water, and meals provides may come underneath stress. In Nigeria, the place meals costs already run quicker than Usain Bolt, that is no laughing matter.
Water and electrical energy may additionally come underneath stress. Hotter climate can enhance water demand, whereas unreliable energy provide makes maintaining houses, workplaces and important tools cool much more troublesome.
For these of us in facility administration, it is a reminder that water storage, drainage, generator upkeep, air flow and power effectivity are usually not merely gadgets on a guidelines. They are important to enterprise continuity.
What ought to we do and what ought to we keep away from?
Let us begin with the fundamentals. Drink sufficient water, keep away from extended publicity to intense warmth and verify on aged family members and weak neighbours. Farmers ought to observe native climate advisories and contemplate appropriate drought-tolerant crops and water-saving strategies.
Households ought to repair leaking faucets, retailer water safely and clear drainage channels earlier than heavy rainfall. Businesses and estates ought to examine roofs and drainage methods, service pumps and backup energy tools, and put together for doable heat-related tools failures.
Above all, observe credible updates from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet). Not each alarming WhatsApp voice word deserves to be handled like a presidential broadcast.
And what ought to we keep away from? Panic shopping for meals and water till the sitting room turns into a warehouse. Wasting water. Ignoring climate warnings. Or forwarding messages claiming Nigeria will turn out to be a desert in a single day.
Climate science is severe enterprise; fearmongering isn’t preparedness.
Can we belief our authorities to act?
My reply is straightforward: we should always demand that it does.
Nigeria already has a meteorological company. The actual take a look at is whether or not its forecasts will translate into sensible motion. Federal and state governments should present well timed climate warnings, assist farmers with helpful local weather info, put together drainage methods, shield weak communities and coordinate emergency responses.
Local governments shouldn’t wait till floodwater enters folks’s bedrooms earlier than remembering that drainage exists. Governments shouldn’t await farmers to lose their harvest earlier than discussing meals safety. Emergency companies shouldn’t start on the lookout for tools when the emergency has already arrived.
Can our authorities do that? Absolutely. Will it achieve this successfully? That is dependent upon planning, funding, coordination and accountability not press conferences alone.
There continues to be room for hope.
A robust El Niño doesn’t robotically imply catastrophe for Nigeria. Its results range by area and season, and early preparation can scale back losses, shield livelihoods and lower your expenses.
For people, preparation means staying knowledgeable and making smart changes. For companies, it means planning forward. For authorities, it means performing on scientific warnings earlier than a disaster turns into a nationwide dialog.
Nigeria has sufficient challenges with out inviting avoidable ones.
We is probably not in a position to inform the solar to scale back its working hours, however we will put together our houses, companies and communities for no matter the climate brings.
Because on this nation, we have already got sufficient scorching conditions. We don’t want the climate including one other one.
Till subsequent time, keep hydrated and keep secure.
*Kenny Akintola, Chief facility officer
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