Climate zones in Nigeria, 1991 to 2020
Share of Nigeria's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 1,076,058 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 910,271 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 78%, B (arid) 21%, C (temperate) 0.3%.
Aw, tropical savannah, is the main climate of Nigeria, covering 70% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with BSh (hot semi-arid (steppe)) next at 19%. In plain terms, tropical savannah means hot all year, with a clear dry season. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 3.8% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to BSh (hot semi-arid (steppe)).
How Nigeria's zones have changed and may change
Each row compares a map with 1991 to 2020. "Share in a different zone" is the share of the country's area whose class is different from 1991 to 2020. Future rows are model projections under an emissions scenario, not forecasts.
| Map | Share in a different zone | Different major group | Biggest gain | Biggest loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 to 1930 (past) | 4.9% | 2% | Aw +1.1 percentage points | Am -0.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 3.7% | 2.6% | BSh +2.3 percentage points | Aw -2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 3.8% | 2% | BSh +1.7 percentage points | BWh -0.9 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 5% | 2.3% | BSh +1.1 percentage points | BWh -1.8 percentage points |
For the past row, the comparison runs the other way: the 1901 to 1930 map against 1991 to 2020.
Zone shares by map
| Zone | 1901 to 1930 | 1991 to 2020 | SSP1-2.6 (2071 to 2099) | SSP2-4.5 (2071 to 2099) | SSP5-8.5 (2071 to 2099) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aw Tropical savannah | 69% | 70% | 68% | 69% | 70% |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 18% | 19% | 21% | 20% | 20% |
| Am Tropical monsoon | 8.6% | 8% | 8.3% | 8.5% | 9% |
| BWh Hot desert | 3.2% | 2.8% | 2.5% | 1.9% | 1.1% |
| Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean | 0.1% | 0.2% | - | - | - |
| Af Tropical rainforest | 0.3% | 0.1% | - | - | - |
| Csb Warm-summer Mediterranean | 0.3% | 0.1% | - | - | - |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Nigeria and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Lagos | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Kano | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Ibadan | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Abuja | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Port Harcourt | Am Tropical monsoon | Am Tropical monsoon |
| Kaduna | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Benin City | Am Tropical monsoon | Am Tropical monsoon |
| Onitsha | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Aba | Am Tropical monsoon | Am Tropical monsoon |
| Maiduguri | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) |
| Ilorin | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Sokoto | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) |
| Jos | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Zaria | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Enugu | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Warri | Am Tropical monsoon | Am Tropical monsoon |
| Oyo | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Abeokuta | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Akure | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Bauchi | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Agege | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Katsina | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) |
| Osogbo | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
Zones found in Nigeria
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Aw. See data sources and licences.