By Abbas Nazil
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Folasade Ogunsola, has called on universities across Southwest Nigeria to integrate climate change education into their academic programmes, warning that environmental challenges such as flooding, desertification, contaminated water sources and changing rainfall patterns pose increasing threats to livelihoods and national security.
Ogunsola made the call during the Inter-University Dialogue for Curriculum Transformation in Southwest Nigeria, where UNILAG, in collaboration with the Pulitzer Center, launched the Southwest Nigeria Climate Literacy Toolkit Version 2 to support the integration of climate education into university curricula across the region.
She said universities have a responsibility to prepare future generations with the knowledge and skills needed to address the impacts of climate change, adding that climate literacy should become part of graduates’ learning regardless of their fields of study.
According to her, UNILAG began its climate literacy initiative in 2024 as a structured effort to mainstream climate education across its academic programmes. She noted that support from the Pulitzer Center’s Impact Seed Fund in 2025 enabled the development of the toolkit and the training of 68 lecturers to incorporate climate-related content into disciplines including law, engineering, sciences and the arts.
Ogunsola explained that the initiative aligns with the National Universities Commission’s Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS), showing that climate education can be integrated into existing courses without requiring a complete overhaul of academic programmes.
She added that the next phase of the programme would involve directors of academic planning and quality assurance from universities across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states.
The expansion, she said, aims to replicate the UNILAG model across the Southwest, harmonise climate-related curriculum content under CCMAS themes, launch the updated Southwest Nigeria Climate Literacy Toolkit Version 2 and establish a regional network of climate literacy educators.
“Universities must find practical ways to embed climate education into existing courses through approaches such as climate-related videos, case studies and assignments,” Ogunsola said, describing the process as achievable and impactful.
Speaking at the event, Professor Olufemi Saibu, pioneer Director of the Institute of Nigeria-China Development Studies at UNILAG, said the initiative seeks to create a network of climate literacy educators across the region and ensure that every university graduate becomes a climate change ambassador.
Saibu disclosed that UNILAG has already integrated climate change content into 55 courses across 12 faculties, with more than 70 percent of participating lecturers beginning to incorporate climate topics into their teaching.
He added that plans are underway to present the model to the National Universities Commission for possible nationwide adoption.
Also speaking, Eric Selemani, Education Manager for Africa at the Pulitzer Center, said climate change, environmental degradation and social inequality require citizens who can critically analyse information, evaluate evidence and develop practical solutions.
Selemani explained that the Pulitzer Center collaborates with schools and universities to transform quality journalism into educational resources that promote critical thinking, media literacy and civic engagement.
He said the curriculum dialogue represents the beginning of stronger collaboration among universities to advance climate education and environmental sustainability, enabling higher institutions to play a greater role in building climate resilience and equipping graduates to respond to future environmental challenges.
