Fueling the Insurgency: Climate-Resource Scarcity and the Persistence of Terrorism in Northern Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18485/fb_ijcss.2025.1.2.9Keywords:
climate change, human security, resource scarcity, terrorism, sahel, lake Chad, Nigeria, security governanceAbstract
This study examines the causal pathways through which climate change and resource scarcity sustain terrorism in Nigeria’s Sahelian-Lake Chad region. Employing a mixed-method design that integrates panel data (2000-2023) with content analysis of field reports and policy documents, it investigates the interconnections between environmental degradation, livelihood collapse, and violent extremism in Borno, Yobe, Katsina, and Zamfara States. Findings reveal that rising temperatures and declining rainfall aggravate competition over land and water, which, when mediated by governance failures, deepens human insecurity and creates operational opportunities for groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP. The evidence supports an integrated Human and Environmental Security framework, demonstrating that ecological stress erodes state legitimacy and fosters terrorist resilience. The paper concludes that disrupting this cycle requires integrated strategies that synchronize climate adaptation with security governance. Policy implications are directed at security sector actors and regional bodies, highlighting the need to mainstream climate-risk analysis into counter-terrorism and bolster cross-border resource governance under the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and ECOWAS.
Downloads
References
1. Barnett, J., & Adger, W. N. (2007). Climate change, human security, and violent conflict. Political Geography, 26(6), 639-655.
2. Benjaminsen, T. A. (2021). How herder-farmer conflicts evolve: The case of Fulani in Nigeria. Political Geography, 88, 102402.
3. Benjaminsen, T. A., & Ba, B. (2019). Why do pastoralists in Mali join jihadist groups? Journal of Peasant Studies, 46(1), 1-20.
4. Buhaug, H. (2015). Climate-conflict research: Some reflections on the way forward. WIREs Climate Change, 6(3), 269-275.
5. Burke, M., Hsiang, S. M., & Miguel, E. (2015). Climate and conflict. Annual Review of Economics, 7(1), 577-617.
6. Dada, K. S. J., Mohammed, H. A., & Quadir, R. O. (2025). Disaster risk management in academic institutions: An assessment of preparedness and recovery at Kashim Ibrahim Library, Nigeria. International Journal of Contemporary Security Studies, 1(1), 1–15.
7. Detraz, N., & Betsill, M. M. (2009). Climate change and environmental security: For whom the discourse shifts. International Studies Perspectives, 10(3), 303-320.
8. FAO. (2022). Lake Chad Basin crisis response strategy. Food and Agriculture Organization.
9. Garba, T. M., & Akaan, R. (2025). The Socioeconomic and Psychological Implications of Polygamy: A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis Concerning Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) in Nigeria. International Journal of Contemporary Security Studies, 1(1), 25–34.
10. Ide, T. (2017). Research methods for exploring the links between climate change and conflict. WIREs Climate Change, 8(3), e456.
11. Ide, T. (2021). The impact of environmental change on armed conflict: Empirical evidence. Current Climate Change Reports, 7(1), 11-19.
12. International Crisis Group. (2023). Violence in the Sahel: Africa’s new epicentre of terrorism. Report No. 317.
13. Janković, L., Cvetković, V. M., Gačić, J., Renner, R., & Jakovljević, V. (2025). Integrating psychosocial support into emergency and disaster management and public safety: The role of the Red Cross of Serbia. International Journal of Contemporary Security Studies, 1(1), 99–124.
14. Koubi, V. (2019). Climate change and conflict. Annual Review of Political Science, 22, 343-360.
15. Krampe, F., & Månsson, K. (2021). Climate change, peacebuilding, and sustaining peace. SIPRI Insights, 2021(3).
16. Matthew, R. A. (2014). Integrating climate change into peacebuilding. Climatic Change, 123(1), 83-93.
17. Metić, A. (2025). The Significance and Role of Police Officers in Building the School as a Safe Environment for All Students. International Journal of Contemporary Security Studies, 1(1), 17–24.
18. Mobjörk, M., et al. (2020). Climate-related security risks and peacebuilding in Somalia. SIPRI.
19. Moriconi-Ebrard, F., Harre, D., & Heinrigs, P. (2020). The Sahel and Lake Chad Region: A crucial geography. OECD.
20. Okpara, U., Stringer, L. C., & Dougill, A. J. (2020). Resource scarcity and conflict dynamics in Northern Nigeria. Land Use Policy, 97, 104793.
21. Raleigh, C., Choi, H. J., & Kniveton, D. (2014). Conflict, food price, and climate variability in Africa. Global Environmental Change, 22(2), 323-335.
22. Salehyan, I. (2008). From climate change to conflict? No consensus yet. Journal of Peace Research, 45(3), 315-326.
23. Selby, J. (2014). The geopolitics of climate change and violence in the Middle East. Geopolitics, 19(3), 707-723.
24. Thurston, A. (2020). Jihadists of North Africa and the Sahel. Cambridge University Press.
25. UNDP. (1994). Human Development Report 1994: New dimensions of human security. Oxford University Press.
26. UNDP. (2023). Human Security and Climate Resilience in the Sahel. United Nations Development Programme.
27. Vidović, N., & Beriša, H. (2025). Economic aspects of cyber security: Socio-financial consequences of cyber attacks. International Journal of Contemporary Security Studies, 1(1), 149–162.
28. World Bank. (2023). Climate Data Portal. Retrieved from https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Akaninyene O. Unaam (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
By submitting a manuscript to the International Journal of Contemporary Security Studies, authors acknowledge and agree to the following copyright terms and conditions:
-
Author Rights and Ownership
- Authors retain the copyright to their submitted work. However, by submitting their manuscript, authors grant the International Journal of Contemporary Security Studies a non-exclusive right to publish, distribute, and archive the work in any format (print, digital, or electronic).
- Authors are free to share, reproduce, and distribute their published work, provided proper credit is given to the original publication in this journal.
-
Licensing and Open Access Policy
- The journal publishes under the [insert applicable license, e.g., Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY)], which allows others to share and adapt the work with appropriate attribution.
- Authors are responsible for ensuring that their submission complies with the journal's licensing terms and does not violate any third-party rights.
-
Originality and Permissions
- The submitted work must be original and not previously published or under consideration elsewhere.
- If the manuscript includes copyrighted materials (e.g., figures, tables, excerpts), authors must obtain the necessary permissions for reproduction and provide appropriate attribution.
-
Author Warranties
- By submitting, authors confirm that their work does not infringe on any intellectual property rights, is free from plagiarism, and adheres to ethical publishing standards.
- The journal is not responsible for any legal disputes arising from copyright infringement, misrepresentation, or unauthorized use of third-party materials.
-
Editorial and Publication Rights
- The International Journal of Contemporary Security Studies reserves the right to make editorial modifications to ensure clarity, consistency, and compliance with journal standards.
- If accepted, the manuscript will be published online and made publicly available according to the journal’s open-access policy.
By proceeding with submission, authors confirm that they have read and agreed to the terms outlined in this Copyright Notice.
