Wale Adeoye
The growing impact of climate change on Abuja’s indigenous communities has come under renewed national attention as journalists and environmental advocates called for urgent government intervention to safeguard the livelihoods and cultural heritage of original inhabitants of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The call was made during a media workshop titled “50 Years After Abuja: Climate Change and Livelihood of Abuja Original Inhabitants (AOI)”, where participants expressed deep concern over the environmental and socio-economic consequences facing native communities since the creation of Abuja as Nigeria’s capital in 1976.
Media professionals noted that while Abuja’s transformation into a modern capital city symbolizes national progress, the development has come with heavy ecological and cultural costs for indigenous ethnic groups including the Koro, Nupe, Gwari, Ganagana, Ebira and Gade peoples.
Participants observed that decades of rapid urban expansion, deforestation and infrastructure development have resulted in widespread loss of ancestral lands, degradation of forests and declining traditional sources of livelihood that once sustained indigenous families.
Speaking during the workshop, Mr. Adewale Adeoye of the Network of Journalists on Indigenous Issues (NEJII) emphasized the crucial role of the media in shaping national conversations around justice, environmental sustainability and inclusive development.
Adeoye described land and forests as the spiritual and economic backbone of indigenous societies, stressing that environmental destruction threatens not only survival but also identity and cultural continuity among Abuja’s original inhabitants.
He urged journalists to deepen environmental reporting, noting that indigenous communities have historically served as custodians of nature long before industrialisation and modern commercial exploitation of natural resources began.
Highlighting climate-related challenges confronting the communities, Fabian Anawo of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria listed erratic rainfall patterns, flooding, extreme heat conditions, disappearance of protective trees and destruction of homes and farmlands among the growing threats.
According to him, changing weather patterns have disrupted agricultural cycles, weakened local ecosystems and reduced biodiversity, thereby worsening poverty levels in already vulnerable rural settlements.
Delivering the keynote presentation, former Editor of The Punch Newspapers, Mr. Olalekan Adetayo, said climate change in Abuja must be understood within the broader context of urbanisation, deforestation, mining activities and population pressure within the FCT.
Adetayo explained that indigenous communities now face flooding, water scarcity, shrinking arable land and rising heat stress, conditions that directly undermine subsistence farming, fishing and forest-based economic activities traditionally relied upon by local populations.
He warned that climate vulnerability extends beyond environmental damage, noting that declining agricultural productivity often leads to poverty, displacement and eventual erosion of cultural identity among affected communities.
The media expert further linked climate stress to rising farmer–herder conflicts, land disputes and youth restiveness, stressing that competition over dwindling natural resources continues to fuel social tensions in vulnerable regions.
Participants at the workshop advocated inclusive land dialogue, recognition of customary land rights, climate adaptation funding and early warning systems as essential measures for promoting peace and sustainable development in indigenous territories.
They also stressed that Abuja’s original inhabitants must be included in policy decisions, urban planning processes and environmental governance frameworks to ensure fairness, equity and long-term national stability.
The gathering concluded with a strong commitment by journalists to move beyond routine event coverage by investigating structural environmental challenges, amplifying indigenous voices and promoting climate solutions capable of protecting communities while advancing sustainable national development.
The workshop was organised in collaboration with the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) with support from the MacArthur Foundation, reinforcing calls for collective action toward climate justice for Abuja’s indigenous people.