By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
A climate advocacy organisation, the Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP), has launched the Vote4Climate 2027 Campaign, calling on Nigerians to prioritise climate action, food security, clean energy, health and environmental sustainability in the lead-up to the 2027 General Elections.
The campaign was unveiled in Abuja on Friday as part of activities marking World Environment Day 2026, with the organisation urging citizens to move beyond voting along ethnic, religious and regional lines and instead focus on issues that directly affect their future and livelihoods.
Speaking during the launch, Executive Director of GIFSEP and head of the Vote4Climate Campaign Secretariat, Michael Terungwa David, said climate change has become one of the most pressing challenges facing Nigeria and should occupy a central place in political discourse ahead of the elections.
He noted that the effects of climate change are already evident across the country, citing the shrinking of Lake Chad, increasing desertification in northern Nigeria, coastal erosion in the Niger Delta and rising incidents of devastating floods that have displaced millions of people and destroyed livelihoods.
According to him, environmental degradation is also taking a heavy toll on the economy, agriculture and public health, warning that continued inaction could worsen poverty, food shortages, disease outbreaks and insecurity in many parts of the country.
David stressed that Nigeria could no longer afford a “business as usual” approach to environmental governance, adding that climate-related challenges such as drought, flooding, land degradation and resource scarcity are increasingly contributing to conflicts and social instability.
He said the Vote4Climate 2027 Campaign seeks to mobilise citizens to demand accountability from political leaders and ensure that climate action becomes a major issue in election campaigns, party manifestos and governance priorities.
The campaign is encouraging voters to question candidates on their plans for climate adaptation, renewable energy development, food security, environmental protection, pollution control, water resource management and sustainable infrastructure development.
The organisation also called on candidates to present concrete strategies for creating green jobs, supporting vulnerable communities affected by climate impacts and strengthening environmental governance and climate justice across the country.
Addressing journalists, civil society groups and young people, GIFSEP urged them to play active roles in shaping public discourse by scrutinising candidates’ environmental policies and holding political leaders accountable for their commitments.
The group maintained that every Nigerian is effectively a “green voter” because climate change affects access to food, water, energy, healthcare and security, regardless of political affiliation, ethnicity or religion.
It further warned against supporting candidates who ignore climate change, undermine environmental sustainability, promote division or fail to provide clear plans for addressing the country’s growing ecological and developmental challenges.
The organisation concluded that the 2027 General Elections present a unique opportunity for Nigerians to redefine national priorities and vote for a future anchored on climate resilience, food security, clean energy, environmental justice, improved public health and sustainable development.
