International Journal on Integrated Education e-ISSN : 2620 - 3502

p-ISSN : 2615 - 3785

https://journals.researchparks.org/index.php/IJIE

Impact of Climate Change on University Administration in Nigeria

Ernest Ohiosumua Ohibime, EDINOH Kingsley

Department of Educational Foundations, University of Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract: The objectives of this study is to find out the impact of climate change on university
administration in Nigeria North-central political zone, Nigeria. The study adopted survey
method. The population of the study was made up of academic staff and non-academic staff of
public universities in the zone. Purposive sampling method was used to select the respondents.
Questionnaire was used as data collecting instrument in the study. The questionnaire was titled
(Impact of climate change on university administration in Nigeria Questionnaire). Reliability
obtained was established at 0.86 and 0.88 respectively using the Kinder Richardson Formula.
Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean, and standard deviation. The result
collected sowed that climate change (heavy rains and floods) have led to suspension of
university administration, prevented universities’ administrators from going to offices and
increases the administrative cost of the universities in the of repairs and reconstruction of
damages facilities. The result also revealed that climate change (heavy rains and floods) affected
teaching, research and community service programme of the universities. The result also
disclosed that climate change (heavy rain/floods) destroyed universities infrastructural facilities,
disrupts energy, water and internet service supply in the universities in North-central Nigeria.
Keywords: Climate Change, Floods, Impact, University administration, Heavy Rains.
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Introduction
Climate change according (Uchegbu and Ugwuanyi 2009) is the persistent fluctuation in the
climatic elements for a considerable length of time usually 35 years. It is phenomenon created by
human beings and nature, which devastated the earth and cause hardship of unpredicted
magnitude to the living. The term Climate, according to Inikpi (undated) is the pattern of
weather, powered by the sun, in a particular place determined by variables such as the intensity
of sunlight, rainfall and wind. While the drastic change in weather in a particular place over a
considerable period of time is referred to a climate change. (United Nation Environmental
Offorma 2010) defined climate change as a continuous, rapid, and prolonged alteration of
climate in one direction which reflects changes in the variability or average state of the
atmosphere overtime scales, ranging from decades to millions of years. From the above climate
change can be seen as a broad term used to refer to changes in the Earth’s climates, at local,
regional, or global scales, and can also refer to the effects of these changes.
There are many causes of climate change in Nigeria. (Mbah 2014) and (Udenyi, 2010; Uchegbu,
and Ugwuanyi,2009) listed human activities which include: bush burning, deforestation,
desertification, burning of fossil fuels, and industrial pollutions. These activities of man, cause
the release of excess carbon dioxide (CO2) and other heat trapping emissions such as methane
(CH4), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCS) and Ozone (O3). These green-house
gases contribute to the depletion of the Ozone layer in the atmosphere leading to global
warming.

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International Journal on Integrated Education e-ISSN : 26203502
IJIE | Research Parks Publishing (IDEAS Lab) p-ISSN : 26153785

The natural phenomena that contribute to climate change include: Solar output, variations in
earth’s orbit, volcanic eruptions, and ocean variations (Udenyi, 2010; Uchegbu, and
Ugwuanyi,2009). Monday observes that every system, whether human or otherwise is tied to
climate and that changes in climate affect many related aspects of where and how people, plants,
and animals live. (Inikpi (undated) and Adamu and Alarima (2013) attributed climate change to
human activities and natural occurrences. Human activities that contribute to climate change are
burning of fossil fu deforestation and a growing world population. When fossil fuels such as
coal, oil and gas burned they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which leads to
accumulation greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Climate change is affecting every aspect of human lives. Institutions established to provide
social services to humanity are also affected by the climate change. Some of the social service
institutions include educational institutions. The educational institutions are classified into
different forms. The Basic schools, junior secondary schools, senior secondary schools and the
higher institutions which include the polytechniques, college of education, institutes and the
universities.
The university education is described by (Ogunode, 2020) as the education after secondary
school education that handles teaching, researching and communities services programme.
University education is an organized education system that prepares the individual for a career
life (Ogunode & Ohibime 2021;Ogunode, Jegede, Adah, Audu, Ajape 2020). University
education is the education that leads to the award of certificates. The university education is the
third level of education that implements teaching, researching and community services
(Ogunode, & Audu 2022).
The realization of the university’ goals and objectives hinges on effective administration.
University administration is the arrangement of human and materials resources for the
implementation of the universities programme (Ogunode 2020). University administration is the
effective and efficient use of university resources to actualize the university’s programme.
University administration is all planned activities for prudent use of university’ human and
materials resources for the achievement of the university’ goals and objectives (Ogunode &
Ndayebom, 2022; Olowonefa, Ogunode & Ohibime 2022).
There are many investigations on climate change impact on educational institutions. (Ojeh et al
2019) carried out a study that investigated two days rainstorm and floods in Apria and May 2018
in Taraba state, North-east, Nigeria. Secondary and primary data were used in the study. The
result obtained disclosed that the 2- day rainstorm and floods event with high wind speed of over
600 knots (327 m/s) caused devastating damages to building infrastructures in the state and the
roofs of buildings and damage to Globacom Telecommunication mast was profound and five
people lost their lives with several others sustaining diverse injuries in 17 communities in Jalingo
and Wukari. The result showed that about 62% of the affected people took refuge outside their
homes for about three to ten days. Educational institutions were affected and the cost of damages
is estimated to be about ₦30,000,000 to fix the damaged school facilities. The government
facilities damaged was estimated to be 24,000, 000 and private building estimated to be ₦
6,275,000. The funds required to reconstruct the damages in in Wukari in comparison to Jalingo
was ₦ 9,000,000 for residential buildings, ₦ 6,000,000 for government buildings and ₦
9,275,000 for schools.
(Mbah 2014) did a study on challenges of Climate Change on Provision of and accessibility to
Quality Education in Nigeria and the findings of the study among others, showed that climate
change-related problems adversely affect teaching and learning by causing the following:
lateness and absenteeism to school among teachers and students; destruction of school buildings
and learning materials, unconducive learning environment, destruction of means of livelihood;
incompletion of curriculum content, ineffective instructional supervision, and poor performance
in examinations.

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International Journal on Integrated Education e-ISSN : 26203502
IJIE | Research Parks Publishing (IDEAS Lab) p-ISSN : 26153785

(Monday 2013) did a study on challenges of climate change on provision of Basic education in
Nigeria and found out climate change has led to destruction of school buildings and learning
materials. (Inikpi undated) concluded that the manifestation of climate change as heavy rainfall
accompanied by wind storm, and flooding have devastating effect on school infrastructural
facilities such as textbooks. laboratory equipment, buildings, electricity and water supply
sources. The use of educational infrastructure that have good climate resilient will help reduce its
impact.
(McGuigan et al., 2002) observed that climate change has led to reduction in agricultural
production in developing countries. Climate change affects the teaching and learning programme
of schools. Climate changes has led to destruction of learning environment. Excessive rainfall
leads to unstable teaching programme, learning programme, academic calendar of educational
institutions (Udenyi, 2010; Uchegbu, and Ugwuanyi,2009; Udofot 1995;United Nations
Framework convention on Climate Change-UNFCCC 1996). Climate change also affects the
funding of private education of people because of reduction in the available pasture land (Agwu,
& Okhimamhe,2009; Barrios, Ouattara, & Strobl,2004; Efe,2008).
From the above, there is a research gap on the impact of climate change on university
administration in North central political zone of Nigeria. Based on this, study is to find out the
impact of climate change on university administration in Nigeria North-central political zone,
Nigeria.
Research Objectives
The objectives of this study is to find out the impact of climate change on university
administration in Nigeria North-central political zone, Nigeria. The specific objectives;
1. Assess the impact of climate change on university administration in Nigeria North-central
political zone, Nigeria;
2. Identify the impact of climate change on universities’ goals in Nigeria North-central political
zone, Nigeria.
3. Find out the impact of climate change on universities’ infrastructural facilities in Nigeria
North-central political zone, Nigeria.
Research Questions
The following research question were generated to guide this study:
1. What is the impact of climate change on university administration in Nigeria North-central
political zone, Nigeria?
2. What is the impact of climate change on universities’ goals in Nigeria North-central political
zone, Nigeria?
3. What is the impact of climate change on universities’ infrastructural facilities in Nigeria
North-central political zone, Nigeria?
Method
This study was carried out in North-central Nigeria. The objective is to find out the impact of
climate change on university administration in Nigeria North-central political zone, Nigeria. The
study adopted survey method. The population of the study was made up of academic staff and
non-academic staff of public universities in the zone. Three public universities were selected in
the zone. 300 academic and non-academic staff was sample in the study. Purposive sampling
method was used to select the respondents. Questionnaire was used as data collecting instrument
in the study. The questionnaire was titled (Impact of Insecurity of climate change on university
administration in Nigeria Questionnaire).The questionnaire was dived into two sections. Two
lecturers from Kaduna University validated the research instrument. Reliability scores obtained
was established at 0.86 and 0.88 respectively using the Kinder Richardson Formula. Data were
analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean, and standard deviation.

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International Journal on Integrated Education e-ISSN : 26203502
IJIE | Research Parks Publishing (IDEAS Lab) p-ISSN : 26153785

Analysis of Result
Table one on Impact of Climate Change on University Administration
S/N Mean Std. D
1. Climate change (heavy rains) leads to suspension of
university administrative activities 2.89 1.998
2. Climate change (heavy rains) prevents universities
Administrators from coming to offices 2.81 1.934
3. Climate change (heavy rains) increases administrative
cost (repairs of damages) 2.78 1.929
Mean Total 2.82
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The result collect on table one show that item one, two and three has a mean score of 2.89, 2.81
and 2.78 which is greater than the cut of point of 2.5. With this result we accept that climate
change (heavy rains and floods) leads to suspension of university administration, prevents
universities’ administrators from coming to offices and increases the administrative cost of the
universities on repairs and reconstruction of damages facilities.
Table Two on Impact of Climate Change on University’ goals
S/N Mean Std. D
1. Climate change (heavy rains) affects teaching programme 2.97 1.989
2. Climate change (heavy rains) affects research program 2.63 1.915
3. Climate change (heavy rains) affects Communities service programme 2.81 1.967
Mean Total 2.80
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Result obtained from table two revealed that item one, two and three has a mean score of 2.97,
2.63 and 2.81 which is higher than the cut of point of 2.5. This result implies the acceptance that
climate change (heavy rains and floods) affects teaching, research and community service
programme of the universities in North-central Nigeria.
Table Three on Impact of Climate Change on University’ infrastructural Facilities
S/N Mean Std. D
1. Climate change (heavy rains) destroys universities facilities 2.76 1.964
2. Climate change (heavy rains) disrupts energy supply 2.84 1.974
3. Climate change (heavy rains) disrupts supply of water 2.92 1.979
4. Climate change (heavy rains) disrupts internet services 2.88 1.991
Mean Total 2.85
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From table three, the result collected disclosed that item one to four had 2.76, 2,84, 292 and 2.88
which is higher than the cut off of 2.5 point set for the study. This mean that climate change
(heavy rain/floods) destroys universities infrastructural facilities, disrupts energy, water and
internet service supply in the universities in North-central Nigeria.
Discussion of Findings
The result disclosed that climate change (heavy rains and floods) leads to suspension of
university administration, prevents universities’ administrators from coming to office and
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IJIE | Research Parks Publishing (IDEAS Lab) p-ISSN : 26153785

increases the administrative cost of the universities on repairs and reconstruction of damages
facilities. This result is in line with the submission of Daily trust report of 2019 that heavy rains
and floods in Nigerian North east zone led the closure of the university administrative activities
and suspension of school programme in the university. (Inikpi undated); (Akuegwu, Nwi-Ue,
and Nwikina 2012) submit that climate has negative impact on academic staff role of classroom
teaching, research, and administrative.
The result also revealed that climate change (heavy rains and floods) affects teaching, research
and community service programme of the universities in North-central Nigeria. This result
collaborates the conclusion of (Mbah 2014) who submits that whenever there is heavy rains and
floods, schools close down their entire teaching and learning activities.
The result collected showed that climate change (heavy rain/floods) destroys universities
infrastructural facilities, disrupts energy, water and internet service supply in the universities in
North-central Nigeria. This result is in line with the report of (Odogwu 2019) that heavy rain
storms destroyed universities facilities that worth N5000 million Naira. Facilities destroyed in
the university include; NEEDS Assessment Building, Administrative block of science faculty,
Solar power security light stands, Female halls, University library, ICT center, Pro-Chancellor’s
office, Entrepreneurship and Employability Centre, and the main University Auditorium.
Conclusion and Recommendations
The objectives of this study is to find out the impact of climate change on university
administration in Nigeria North-central political zone, Nigeria. The result collected indicates that
climate change (heavy rains and floods) led to suspension of university administration, prevented
universities’ administrators from coming to offices and increases the administrative cost of the
universities in the areas of repairs and reconstruction of damages facilities. The result also
revealed that climate change (heavy rains and floods) affected teaching, research and community
service programme of the universities in North-central Nigeria. The result obtained disclosed that
climate change (heavy rain/floods) destroys universities infrastructural facilities, disrupts energy,
water and internet service supply in the universities in North-central Nigeria.
Based on this findings, the study recommend that
1. Universities authorities should institute tree planting in their institutions. They can extend it
to the community as community service programme. Planting of new ornamental trees in the
university compound to serve as wind breakers will help reduce the impact S. of wind on
structures.
2. Federal and state government should invest in building facilities that are adapted to climate
change. This can be done through the building of school structures that are adapted to
expected changes in the climate, such buildings should have roof ceiling, fans installed in the
classrooms, expansion of classroom windows.
3. Lecturers should be trained on climate change education and adaptation teaching strategies
and techniques.
4. University’ authorities should provide appropriate temperature regulating facilities such as
fans, air conditioners in the classrooms, while head of departments should ensure that lecture
halls maintain acceptable ambient [conditions in the classroom, in spite of climate change.
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